


To The Victor Go The Spoils

by JotItDown



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel War, Angel Wings, Collared Dean Winchester, Collars, Corporal Punishment, Dehumanization, Hand Feeding, Humiliation, Kidnapped Dean Winchester, M/M, Master Castiel, Master/Pet, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Touching, Pet Dean Winchester, Size Difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-07-04 19:35:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 102,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotItDown/pseuds/JotItDown
Summary: Angels are giant flying dicks, and they're in the middle of a war over territory in Heaven and Earth.  After each battle, the winning angels select a trophy, band it with a silver band bearing their name, and take it back to their nest in Heaven.  The only rule is that it must be something affected by the battle.  And Dean was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.





	1. The Angel

**Author's Note:**

> tags may change as the story progresses

            Dean ran as fast as his legs could carry him, staying low, arms thrown over his head for protection.  “Sam!  Sammy!”

            “Dean!”

            There.  Another explosion nearby, dirt and rocks and splinters of wood flying as a tree exploded. Dean forced himself to somehow run faster, moving towards his brother’s voice.  Sam waved frantically.  His younger brother was on the ground, part of a large tree lying across his legs, pinning the teen down.  “Dean! I can’t get out!  Please get it off of me!”

            “Hang on, I got you!”

            Dean was in his early twenties and in decent shape. He was strong, but it was almost too much.  He strained with all his might.  Something gave in his lower back, but he somehow managed to lift the massive tree enough for Sammy to squirm free.  He had a sharp pain in his back when he let the tree fall.  He ignored it to check on his brother.

            Sam was back on his feet, gingerly poking at his legs.  “I’m ok.”

            “Good, then run!”

            Sam did.  There was a whistling sound and another explosion, this one so close the shock wave buffeted Dean as he ran.  He raced behind his brother, heading for the relative safety of the shelter.

            Above him, the battle raged on.  The war in Heaven had been going on now for years, and it was the inhabitants of Earth who were paying the steepest price. Bitterly, Dean wondered again why the winged douchebags couldn’t just keep their mess in the clouds?  Instead, they had to come down here and wreck things for humans.  Battles like this went on all over the world because the angels weren’t just fighting for control of Heaven, but also for territory on the Earth.  It made no sense to Dean.  Apparently, while everyone had always believed that angels were responsible for this or that task among humans, the truth was that whichever angel controlled a given sector of the Earth also laid claim to the souls of humans living in that sector.  Some stupid angel had gotten greedy, snagged some souls in another angel’s territory and suddenly the whole sky erupted, angels pouring out of Heaven fighting for this or that faction.  Now no one had any idea who was fighting for what or even how many factions there were. All they knew was that any time wings filled the sky, the best thing to do was run for cover.

            Even before he heard the familiar ominous whistling, Dean knew this one was going to be too close.  “Down!” he roared, diving on top of his brother.

            The angels hit the ground with the usual impact, gouging a new crater where there had once been some poor sap’s garage. The garage, whatever was in it, and most of the house was instantly demolished.  Dean felt himself showered with debris as he lay on top of his brother. How the hell did the stupid angels expect to get any souls if they got everyone killed while they were fighting each other?  “You ok, Sammy?”

            “I think so.”

            “Ok, we’re almost there let’s...  Ow, shit!”  Dean looked back in dismay at the jagged piece of metal that had skewered his leg, staking it to the ground.  In his concern for his brother, he hadn’t even felt it when it hit him.  But he certainly felt it now.  Dean looked ahead and saw that the two angels who had just slammed to the ground were still in the middle of their deathmatch.  The two colossal figures were on their feet, grappling and slashing at each other in the middle of the destruction they’d caused. Not good.  He shoved at his brother.  “You gotta go!  Go, Sammy, get to the shelter!”

            “I’m not leaving you here!”

            “You don’t have a choice!  Look at me, Sammy, I’m nailed to the ground here, and those two giant dicks are getting way too close.  You have got to go!”

            “No, Dean!”

            “Go!”  Dean pushed at his brother.  “If I’m still alive when this blows over, come and get me, but you can’t help me if you’re dead, too.  Now go! Go!”

            His brother’s face was twisted into a grimace of pain, but he nodded.  Dean watched him run off, knowing it had to be the toughest thing Sam had ever done. He kept watching, saw his brother dodge another pair of fighting angels, and finally duck into the shelter.  He was safe, or at least as safe as they could get in the middle of an angel battle.  The angel shelters had been hastily built all over the world.  This was the first time the fighting had even come within ten miles of their home.  The shelter had never been tested before.  Dean prayed to whomever might be listening that it would hold.

            Meanwhile, the two gigantic winged men struggled on, their fight bringing them closer and closer to where Dean lay.  The brunette angel appeared to be getting the better of the blonde angel.  Brunette’s black wings were flared behind him aggressively as he attacked and parried with his silver blade.  Blondie’s golden wings were drooping a bit as their owner realized he was outmatched. The final blow came when Blondie tripped, nearly falling on top of Dean.  Black Wings was on Blondie in an instant, light flashed as the silver blade sank home, and the black wings arched upwards in triumph.

            Dean lay where he was, warily watching the victor. He’d heard tales from people who’d witnessed angel battles, and they were all much the same.  When angels fought, the victors always took something, apparently wanting some trophy of their victory.  It had pissed Dean off when he heard that.  Bad enough they wrecked the place, but then they added insult to injury by robbing people?  Yeah, angels were giant flying dicks.  And sure enough, the winning angel was looking around.

            When the angel looked at Dean, he quickly looked down, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.  He heard it coming closer, an armored foot the size of his entire arm stopping next to his face.  He couldn’t keep himself from yelling when a massive hand seized the collar of his jacket, lifting him up slightly and bringing a flare of agony from his skewered leg and injured back.  Dean immediately glared up at the angel.  “Son of a bitch!  What the hell do you want?  My jacket? Take it, and shove it up your ass!” He quickly pulled his arms out of the jacket, falling heavily to the ground and nearly blacking out from the pain. Of course it would decide to steal from him.  Story of his life.  Dean Winchester always got the short end of the stick.

            Apparently, life wasn’t done pissing on him.  For some reason, the angel had dropped Dean’s jacket.  It landed near Dean’s head and Dean had just blinked at it in surprise when the pain in his leg was suddenly increased by a factor of ten as the giant flying dick yanked on the metal, tearing it out of his leg.  Just when Dean was absolutely certain he was about to die from pain, blood loss, and shock, a pair of fingers touched his forehead.  Instantly, the pain was gone.

            Dean blinked and looked back at his leg.  His jeans were a shredded, bloody mess.  But through the ragged tear, he could see his intact leg.  He reached down, gingerly poking at it.  No trace of the awful wound.  The angel had healed him.  Even the pain in his back was gone.  Huh! Maybe they weren’t all just giant flying dicks after all?  Dean glanced up at the angel, still standing over him, and smiled.  “Um, thanks?  I mean, you caused it in the first place, so you’re still kind of an asshole, but thanks for helping me!”

            The angel smiled back.  He had deep blue eyes, the color of the ocean or the darkening sky at dusk.  He was very handsome, with messy dark hair and those massive black wings that were now folded in a neutral position across his back.  His armor was dented and battered, a sign that this angel had seen a lot of fighting.  Dean had already noticed he was a good fighter.  “Well, good luck,” Dean told him, starting to rise.  “Hope your faction wins soon and ends this stupid war. Later!”

            The angel was still smiling.  He’d taken Dean’s arm as Dean started getting up, helping him to his feet.  Dean came to about his belly button, a fact that made Dean pause.  He’d never seen an angel up close before.  They were even bigger than he’d imagined.  The hand on his arm completely encircled his bicep and had pulled him up with ease.  The angel didn’t let go now that Dean was up.  Dean smiled at him again and twisted his arm.  “Ok, thanks, now let go of me.”

            But the angel still didn’t let go.  He reached out his other hand instead and combed his fingers through Dean’s short hair, brushing out bits of dirt and debris. Then he caught Dean’s chin and seemed to study his face.  By the time that hand slid down his neck and started rubbing at his chest, Dean’s smile had morphed into a frown.  “Dude? Stop that.  Let me go!”

            The angel paid no attention, and when the hand slid over Dean’s belly and then reached between his legs, Dean decided he’d had enough.  He didn’t care how big or powerful this thing was, no one groped Dean Winchester without permission.  He shoved at the angel, twisted and tugged and managed to pull free.  Then he was running, racing for the shelter.

            The fighting had apparently ended, the victorious angels picking among the rubble for their souvenirs.  Apparently Black Wings’s group had won.  But Black Wings himself was apparently still only interested in Dean.  A giant hand closed around Dean’s throat, jerking him to a stop with a startled squawk and then drawing him back against an armored stomach.  Fortunately, the angel’s hand was large enough to disperse the pressure, but being brought up short by his throat still hadn’t felt good. Dean stopped, gagging.  He instinctively clawed at the hand.  The angel frowned and shook him.  Dean raised his hands.  “Ok!  Ok! Whatever you want, just take it!” He flinched, seeing the angel’s free hand moving down his body again.  “Please don’t take my nuts?”

            But Black Wings didn’t touch Dean’s groin, instead rubbing down Dean’s legs.  The hand went down the front of his legs to his feet and then back up the back of them, lingering only briefly on his ass before moving up his back.  Then the hand explored both of his arms.  Dean was feeling thoroughly felt up and humiliated by the time it was over.  He also realized that the pocket knife he usually carried had vanished.  Was that what the angel had been doing?  Checking for and taking away his weapons?  But why would he do that, unless, of course...?

            Dean’s eyes went wide and looked frantically around. All of the other angels were collecting their various treasures, smiling as they showed their choices to each other. And now here came another thing Dean had heard about, the shining silver bands that had appeared, marking each angel’s new prize.  The going theory was that the bands were for identification, sort of like a “Property of” sticker.  Black Wings still hadn’t selected anything for himself.  And yet, there was a silver band in his hand.  Dean’s heart sank.  “Oh, no,” Dean moaned, trying to pull away.  “Oh, no no no, don’t you dare!  Don’t you even think about it!”

            The angel’s hand tightened around Dean’s neck, holding him in place as he brought the silver band closer.  He was after something Dean had on him, Dean told himself. Maybe his pocket knife?  But Dean didn’t see his pocket knife anywhere, and why would the angel continue to hold him if that was the case?  Surely the angel wasn’t about to do what Dean thought he was doing!  Angels had taken a lot of weird things as trophies, but as far as he knew, they’d never taken people!

            Dean kept telling himself that, right until the angel extended the band somehow and raised it over Dean’s head.  And that was when he panicked.  It was him, the angel had selected Dean as his prize and now he was trying to band Dean, claim Dean as his own!  Dean fought with all his strength, straining to twist away, catching at the band and struggling to keep the angel from pulling it down over his head. “Stop!  What the hell are you doing?!  Don’t put this shit on me!”

            But the angel was just too strong.  Despite Dean’s best efforts, the band came down, over his head to encircle his neck.  The giant flying dick was actually humming as he did it, smiling and humming cheerfully as he caught Dean’s hands in one of his own and used the other to tighten the band around Dean’s neck, cinching it up until it just rested on his skin at the base of his neck.  Then he paused, seeming to admire his handiwork.  Dean froze, panting, and looked up at the angel.  “Dude, come on!  This is a joke, right?  A little prank on the dumb human?  You can’t be serious, I mean, you can’t take me!  Why would you want me anyway?”  He pulled, trying to free his hands.  “Come on, let me go!”

            Black Wings appeared very pleased with himself. He let go of Dean’s hands and watched with amusement as Dean immediately tried to pull off the silver band.  Then he bent down, slipped an arm around Dean’s waist, and lifted him as though he were a child.  Dean forgot all about the silver band and immediately attacked the arm around him, squirming and punching and kicking for all he was worth.  “No!  Put me down! You can’t take me, leave me alone!”

            The angel ignored him, walking quickly towards his fellow angels.  Even they seemed surprised to see Dean.  But no one seemed to be objecting.  The angels chattered among themselves in their own language.  Black Wings admired the other angels’ trophies and they petted and poked at Dean, oblivious to his fighting, yelling, and attempts to bite them. But something was happening now. All around, angels were gathering their trophies, moving into a line and taking to the sky, winging upwards.  No.  No.  He struggled desperately, clawing at the arm that held him.  But Black Wings was already in line, moving forward as the angels ahead of him took wing.

            “No!” Dean screamed, seeing the black wings flare out in preparation for flight as the angel wrapped both arms securely around him.  “Please don’t take me away!  Please! PLEASE!”

            The wings beat down and they were airborne. Dean screamed, seeing everything he’d ever known growing smaller and smaller beneath him as they rose into the sky. He kept screaming, terrified as they continued to climb.  He didn’t stop until the air grew frigid and thin, forcing him to gasp for air.  When the world finally went dark, his only thought was that it served Black Wings right.  The giant flying dick had taken him away and gotten him killed, and now he had no trophy at all.


	2. Living Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh yeah, humans need to breathe...

            He’d forgotten humans needed to breathe, and the oxygen at the level where he usually traveled was too scarce for them. When his treasure stopped struggling and slumped in his arms, at first Castiel was glad, believing the beautiful human had accepted the fact that he now belonged to Castiel.  But then he realized something was wrong.  Breaking protocol, he increased his speed, shooting past his irritated commander with a shouted apology and earning himself a glare in order to get his treasure safely into his nest.

            Castiel burst into his nest and put his treasure down. He quickly healed him, bringing him around.

            His treasure’s beautiful green eyes blinked open. For a time, he simply took deep breaths, his eyes roaming over his surroundings before resting on Castiel. Then he sat up and looked around frantically.  He gave Castiel another long, wary look.  Then he was up and running.

            Castiel chuckled.  He gratefully removed his armor, watching as his little treasure raced around his nest, searching frantically for an exit.  Like most angels, Castiel had a nest that was a single room with some furniture, some shelves to house his other treasures he’d obtained in battle, a collection of soft pillows and blankets in the center forming the actual nest, and no door.  The nest was his own personal little bubble of space in Heaven.  He could expand it a bit more if he wished, but usually kept it at its current size.  Castiel could come and go as he pleased, and no one less powerful than his unit commander could come in without his permission.

            Soon enough, his treasure had realized that the nest had no exit he could access.  He’d pressed himself into a corner, panting.  The poor little thing was visibly terrified.  He was shaking, eyes darting around, the adorable speckles on his face easily visible now on his pale skin.

            “Don’t be afraid,” Castiel told him in his human language.  “You’re safe.”

            His treasure froze, staring hard at him. “You speak English?  Let me out of here!”

            “You can’t get away,” Castiel explained patiently.  “You belong to me now.”

            He scowled.  “Let me out!”

            “No.  You’re mine.”

            “No, let me out!  You can’t keep me, you son of a bitch!”

            “I can, and I will.  I am Castiel.  What’s your name?”

            “My name is kiss my ass!  Let me out!”

            Castiel frowned.  His treasure was being very naughty.  “Tell me what your name is.”

            “Fuck you!  Let me out!”  His treasure was panting again, his little hands clenched into fists and his lips curled back from his teeth in anger.  “You kidnapped me!  You took me away from my family, my life!  You had no right!”

            “I had every right.  I won my battle and won the right to a treasure.”

            “So take something else!  You could have taken anything you wanted!”

            “I did take what I wanted.”

            “What about what I wanted?  How could you just take me away?  What the hell gives you that right?!”

            “Because that has always been our way.  I won the right to a treasure, anything that had been affected by my fight.  I chose you. I took you from that horrible existence you were leading and brought you here, to Paradise!”  He smiled.  “I’m the one who gripped you tight, and raised you from Perdition.”

            “That wasn’t Perdition, you stupid prick!” the human roared.  “That was my life!  How dare you take me away?!”  His treasure was shaking now, tears of frustrated anger welling in his eyes and spilling down his cheeks.  “I want to go home!  Please, just let me out!  Let me go, and you can have whatever you want!”

            Silly human.  “I already have what I want.  You’re mine.”

            “Why the hell do you want me?!”

            Castiel smiled.   “Because you’re beautiful.”

            “You took me away because you think I’m cute?!”

            Now he was starting to understand.  “You are.  You’re very pretty!”

            Castiel hadn’t expected his treasure to charge him, but he was delighted when the lovely creature was suddenly in his arms, flailing away with his tiny hands and yelling incoherently.  Castiel wrapped his arms around his treasure and cuddled him. His treasure screamed and struggled wildly as Castiel pressed a kiss into the short hair.  “Brave, strong little treasure!  It’s alright.  I know you’re frightened now, but you’ll soon adjust.  You belong to me now.”

            “No!  No!  Let me go!  I don’t belong to anyone!”

            Castiel reached up a hand and gently touched the silver claiming band around his treasure’s neck, his fingers tracing over the Enochian letters that spelled his name.  “This says differently.  Now everyone can see that you belong to me.”

            Now his treasure was tearing at the band again. “Get it off, please take it off me, let me go!  I want to go home!”

            Castiel chuckled, taking advantage of his treasure’s distraction to turn him, positioning the struggling little human so that his back was against Castiel’s chest and wrapping his arms around him.  His treasure was so soft and warm.  It was good to hold him, know that he’d won a battle hard fought.  He needed a bath, but right now, his treasure needed him more.  He’d go tomorrow and bathe with his treasure once the human was calmer.  Castiel also badly needed rest.  On Earth, he had no need to sleep.  But here, he could rest, allow his wounds to mend.  It felt great to just lie down, hold his treasure, and relax.

            His treasure was anything but relaxed.  He screamed and fought, alternating between angry threats and desperate pleas, kicking and hitting and squirming with all his strength. No matter.  Castiel had expected something like this.  Soon enough, his treasure would tire.  He’d realize he couldn’t get away, and then he would calm. He would come to understand that he belonged to Castiel.  All Castiel had to do was hold him.

            It took some time, but it finally happened. Castiel closed his eyes, feeling his treasure’s struggles lessen and finally stop.  His treasure was sobbing, lying limply in his arms.  But after a time, that too ceased.  Castiel smiled, looking down to see his treasure lying peacefully against his chest.  “There,” he soothed.  “Isn’t that better?”

            The face was flushed, eyes red and swollen with the tears that still occasionally ran down his cheeks.  He didn’t look up, didn’t start struggling again.  Instead, closed his eyes.  “Please let me go?” the human whispered.  “Don’t do this!  Don’t keep me here!  Please!”

            “Go to sleep.”

            His treasure went quiet, lying small and still. Progress.  The human had accepted that he couldn’t get the claiming band off and couldn’t get away.  Soon, he’d accept Castiel as his master.  Castiel knew his brethren had been surprised that he’d claimed the lovely little human. It wasn’t unheard of to claim a human treasure.  His own commander had a human she’d taken some time back that she considered her most valuable treasure.  But most angels considered humans only in terms of the souls they could provide and rarely claimed any.  At the time, Castiel had privately believed that Anna should have chosen better.  But now that Castiel had a human of his own, he finally understood.  The warm, soft little body against him was so comforting.  He’d made the right choice.  The moment he’d looked into those beautiful green eyes, Castiel had known he wanted this human.  The lovely creature was well worth fighting for.  Now, he belonged to Castiel.  Clutching his treasure to his chest, Castiel drifted off to sleep.

            Dean kept still, letting his initial panic, anger, and frustration ebb down to a dull ache.  Trapped.  He was trapped here in this weird room.  This stupid angel, Castiel, was treating him like an especially squirmy teddy bear, and there didn’t seem to be anything Dean could do about it.

            He tugged again at the silver band without much hope.  It wasn’t tight or even snug, resting around his neck at the base of it like a short necklace.  It slid easily up and down on his neck, but it wouldn’t fit over his head and he couldn’t break it.  Dean suspected it was made of the same material as their weapons.  He wouldn’t be able to open it, not without some sort of tool, and he had no idea how to get it off.  There was no seam, no loose end even though Dean knew the angel had tightened it around his neck after it had been wide enough to pull over his head. Somehow, Castiel was apparently able to expand and contract the band at will, magically adjusting its size in response to some unspoken command.  That was scary.  If Dean pissed him off enough, could Castiel just order the band to tighten until Dean strangled to death?  Even without that terrifying thought, Dean couldn’t help but think of the band as a collar.  It was locked around his neck and apparently identified him as Castiel’s property. That was pretty much the definition of a collar.  He hated it. It made him feel like an animal, and he desperately wanted it off.  But right now, that didn’t seem possible.

            The angel seemed to have fallen asleep.  Dean hadn’t known angels slept.  The massive arms were still around him, trapping his waist and chest.  At least Dean had his hands free.  He tried squirming a bit, testing.  The angel didn’t wake up, but the arms tightened a bit around Dean, and Dean immediately went still.  He waited until the angel again relaxed into sleep and the arms around him loosened a bit. Then he tried again.  Moving slowly, he slid his arms beneath the arms of the angel.  Castiel shifted a bit in his sleep, muttered something that sounded disapproving, and one again tightened his arms around Dean.  Dean waited patiently.  Once more, the angel went into a deep sleep and the arms loosened.  Alright.  Dean started moving again, slowly sliding his body out from under the angel’s arms. When his head was free, the angel frowned in his sleep and reached for him.  Dean quickly snagged a pillow and shoved it into the angel’s arms.  That worked.  Castiel snuggled the pillow, murmured something, and went still again.

            Phase one of Operation Get The Hell Out Of Here was complete.  Now for the next part, getting out of this stupid room.

            After what felt like several hours of searching every inch of the room, Dean admitted defeat.  There just didn’t seem to be any way out.  He’d been unconscious when he’d been brought in here, so he didn’t even know where to start.  Now he was trapped.  He angrily kicked the wall, only succeeded in hurting his foot, and hopped around a little, biting back curses.  His eyes moved to Castiel.  The giant flying dick seemed determined to keep him, and it didn’t seem like Dean was going to be able to get loose on his own.  Alright.  Plan B. It seemed that the angel wanted Dean as some sort of pet.  Fine.  Dean could swallow his pride and be a good pet. He’d get Castiel to trust him, make the angel believe he’d accepted his fate.  That would earn Dean privileges.  The angel would let his guard down, let Dean out of this room, and Dean would seize his chance and escape.

            Great plan.  Now to put it into action.

            Dean moved back to the angel and carefully pulled out the pillow.  Castiel frowned in his sleep, reaching for Dean.  Dean gritted his teeth and climbed on top of the angel, lying face down on Castiel’s chest.

            Castiel blinked open his eyes, looked down, and saw his little treasure looking back up at him.  His expression seemed to vacillate between resignation and fear. He’d changed his position, apparently trying to get comfortable.  Now he seemed unsure as to how Castiel would handle it.  Castiel smiled and pulled his treasure up a bit higher on his chest. His treasure gave an adorable little squeak of surprise when he was lifted and thrashed a little.  But he quickly stilled, letting Castiel position him so he could hold the human with one arm while gently carding his fingers through his treasure’s hair.

            His treasure took a deep breath.  “Dean,” he said quietly.  “I’m Dean.”

            Castiel smiled.  Dean must have accepted him as his owner.  Castiel hadn’t expected to get his name so soon.  He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on Dean’s head. “Thank you, Dean.  I promise I’ll take very good care of you.”

            “Yeah, sure, dude, don’t kiss me again, ok?”

            Castiel chuckled.  He considered kissing Dean again anyway, just to demonstrate to his little treasure that he, not Dean, was in charge.  But no.  His treasure had made a big step and deserved a reward.  Cuddling Dean against him, Castiel relaxed.  Thoughts of his happy future with Dean followed him into sleep.

            Dean realized the angel had fallen back to sleep and finally relaxed.  He squeezed his eyes tightly shut.  No.  No more tears.  He shouldn’t have let himself cry in the first place.  He should have realized he’d never get away by fighting.  Sammy would be proud.  He was going to use his wits, trick this stupid angel into letting his guard down. Then Dean would be long gone, ditching Castiel’s feathery ass before he even realized something was wrong.  Let him kidnap some other poor sap to snuggle while he slept.  He wasn’t keeping Dean.  Dean closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of his triumphant return to his family.


	3. Care and Feeding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A healthy human is a happy human

            Dean was still asleep when Castiel woke up. His little treasure’s long lashes were lying against his cheeks, his lips slightly open, making little sighing sounds with each exhalation.  Beautiful. Castiel bent his neck to kiss him, and Dean’s eyes opened, green and confused and still blinking with sleep. Then they grew wide as he recognized his surroundings.  Immediately, Dean tried to crawl away.

            “No, Dean.”  Castiel caught his treasure easily, sat up, and pulled the struggling human against him.  “You’re mine. And I haven’t decided to let go of you yet.  It’s time you started learning some discipline.  You can go when I let you go, and not before.”

            His words seemed to reach Dean.  The human slumped, his shoulders sagged in resignation. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

            Dean was sorry.  He was sorry he’d tried to crawl away.  Castiel was thrilled at the progress Dean had already made.  Humans were such clever little creatures, and his Dean was the cleverest of all.  He hadn’t meant to try to get away.  He was only confused, just awakened in a place that was, after all, still very strange to him.  Dean was trying to be good.  Castiel would reward him.  He held Dean close, wrapped his wings over him, and covered his hair and face with kisses. “So good!” he praised.  “You’re so good, Dean, such a perfect little treasure!”

            Dean didn’t respond.  His body was trembling in Castiel’s arms.  Of course his treasure was frightened.  How could anything in his miserable life down in the dirt prepare him for the life of luxury he had ahead of him, belonging to Castiel and spoiled and pampered in every possible way?  And yet Dean didn’t struggle.  He simply let Castiel handle him as he pleased.  Wonderful!  Castiel reached up and gently stroked his fingers along his claiming band.  “Do you know what this is?”

            Dean’s hand moved up, fingering the band around his neck.  “My collar?”

            “It’s not a collar.  This is my claiming band.  It marks you as my property.  Do you understand what that means?”

            Dean’s head dropped slightly.  His throat worked as he swallowed.  “It means you own me.”

            “That’s right!”  His treasure was so clever.  “It means I own you, Dean.  And that means that I will provide you with everything your little heart desires. Are you hungry?”

            His treasure seemed to consider the question. “Yeah, I guess so?”

            “Alright, then.  I’ve attuned my nest to you temporarily.  Think of what you would like to eat or drink, and my nest will provide it.”

            “Anything?”

            “Anything at all.  Just think about it.  Ah!” Castiel frowned, staring at the table that had appeared in his nest.  “Is that what humans eat?  It’s burned flesh!  How revolting!”

            But Dean was eyeing the disgusting mess with interest.  He was still very good, though, not trying to struggle free or approach the table without permission.  Dean stayed as he was, waiting to be released.  Perfect.  As much as the idea of letting him anywhere near that table bothered Castiel, Dean’s discipline did deserve a reward.  With a grimace, Castiel stood up, lifting Dean with him, and set the human on his feet. “Go ahead and eat, if that’s really what you want.”

            Dean immediately headed for the table and grabbed one of the pieces of food.  Castiel came over and picked one up as well.  The stuff appeared to have a covering made primarily out of ground-up grass seed and egg.  Between the coverings was the burned flesh.  It was covered with bits of vegetable matter, some raw leaves, and, oddest of all, what appeared to be a solid piece of rotten milk solids. Castiel gagged.  “This is disgusting!”

            “Dude, it’s a bacon double cheeseburger!”  His treasure looked considerably less beautiful speaking with his mouth full of the horrid substance.  “And I gotta thank your cook, because this is the best burger I’ve ever had!”

            Castiel rarely experienced nausea.  But he was certainly feeling it now.  He shook his head.  “Even if it wasn’t inherently awful, this cannot be good for your body. It’s dripping with melted fat!”

            Dean actually licked his fingers before grabbing another piece of the filth.  “Perfect!”

            “Oh no.  This will never, ever do!”  Castiel waved his hand.  Dean squawked in indignation when the “burgers” vanished, replaced with some lovely fruits and wholesome vegetables.  “Here.  This is what you will eat from now on.”

            “Dude, no way!  Come on, Cas!”

            Castiel frowned at the shortening of his name, but never mind that now.  It was clear his treasure desperately needed to understand what real food was.  “I know you’ve been deprived.  It’s possible you’ve never experienced real food before,” he explained patiently.  “But you don’t have to eat that garbage anymore!”  He picked up an apple.  “Look, Dean. These apples are perfect.  These carrots are absolutely fresh.  You may eat your fill of anything here, and if you wish more variety, it will be provided.  You will lack for nothing, and...  Dean!”

            He’d forgotten that Dean had snagged another one of the horrible burgers.  Now Dean was shoving it rapidly into his mouth.  He resisted when Castiel pulled what was left out of his hand and scowled. “Damn it, Cas!”

            “No more of this!”  Castiel flung the filthy thing away.  “Now, would you like to try this tomato?  You had slices of it on that horror you were just eating, so I know you like tomatoes!”

            Dean eyed it with distaste.  “No thanks.”

            Castiel sighed.  His treasure had clearly spoiled his appetite.  He hoped what he’d just eaten wouldn’t make Dean ill later.  “Alright, how about something to drink?” he asked, dismissing the table with a wave.  “I’ve attuned my nest to you again, so just think about what you’d like.”

            Dean scrunched up his face in an adorable thinking expression that made Castiel want to kiss him again.  Then Dean smiled in delight when a new table appeared and grabbed for a bottle.

            Castiel immediately grabbed it back out of his hand. “No.  No, no, no!  You will not drink this, it’s the watery product of fermented grasses!”

            “Dude, it’s beer!”

            “And you should not have alcohol in any form. It’s not good for you.”  Castiel waved his hand again, and Dean groaned loudly as he saw what appeared.  “Look, Dean. Tasty sweet nectar.  Fruit juices.  Pure, clean water.  The water will stay, so you may have constant access to it, but you may have the others for now.  I do not wish you to have too much sugar.”

            “Cas, are you sure you’re an angel?  Because right now you seem more like a demon!”

            Castiel squinted in confusion, tilting his head to the side to regard Dean.  “I don’t understand why you’d be confused about this.  I am obviously an angel!”

            “Alright, what about dessert?  You want me to eat fruit, how about apple pie?”

            “Considering your choices so far, I think it’s fair to assume that this ‘apple pie’ is no better for you than anything else you have chosen to consume today.  Why are you so determined to do yourself harm?”

            Dean rubbed at his face.  “Cas, listen, we gotta talk about a few things.  I’m trying my best to be a good treasure for you, but you gotta meet me halfway here!  You took me away from my home and my family and my friends and everything else I have ever known in my life!  You collared me and brought me here.  Now I can’t get away.  You’ve decided to keep me, and I gotta live with that.  But can’t you at least just let me have something?  What if I just had burgers and beer a couple times a week?”

            “No.  You belong to me, and you will not eat garbage.  You will no longer wallow in dirt and filth as your former life forced you to do.  I have rescued you from that!”  Overcome with emotion, he swept his startled treasure into his arms.  “Oh Dean, how horrible your life must have been!  The day I found you, you were hurt and frightened and bleeding, lost and all alone, abandoned by your fellow humans.  But it’s better now!  You’re free!”

            “Free?!”

            “Yes, free from filth and decay and disease and hardship!  Free to live happily with me here in Heaven.  You are even free from death, as neither it nor the ravages of time will touch you now.  You will remain young and beautiful forever.  And you will never be alone!  Never again will you crouch in some dark human hovel, alone and frightened of the dangerous world outside.  You never need to be afraid again!”  He kissed Dean.  “I won’t say your life will be without its occasional hardships.  The war continues and I must go and fight, leaving you alone. I know that will be difficult, for you to be left without my care.  But I will return to you after every battle and I will love you and care for you as you deserve to be cared for.  All your worries are now over.  I have saved you, Dean!”

            He could feel his treasure tremble, how Dean’s breathing had grown quick.  The human’s tiny hands had fisted in Castiel’s tunic.  For a moment, it seemed Dean would start to struggle, to fight once more as he’d done when Castiel had first taken him.  But then Dean relaxed.  His little body rested against Castiel, his head tucked under the angel’s chin.  “Thank you,” he whispered.  “Thank you for saving me.”

            Castiel’s eyes filled with tears.  He tightened his arms as much as he dared around his treasure, giving him kiss after kiss.  “You’ll be so happy, Dean.  I’ll take such good care of you!  You were waiting for me, weren’t you?  That’s why you were out during that fight, why you risked injury and death!  You were desperately hoping that an angel would find you, take you away from all the horror and pain of your human life. And I found you, Dean.  You’re mine, and I will never, ever, let you go!”

            Dean couldn’t keep the shudder from going through him at the angel’s words.  His heart was pounding.  His plan was working, but this would be harder than he thought.  Castiel, he realized, would never just let him go.  And if the way he kept calling him “treasure” meant anything, he considered Dean of high value.  The angel would take precautions, would act to ensure he couldn’t easily get away.  If Dean wanted his freedom, he’d have to be clever, make his escape during a time Castiel couldn’t chase after him, drag him back, force him back into this awful room where he’d be trapped forever.  No.  That couldn’t happen.  Somehow, someway, Dean would get away from this.  He had to get away.  There was simply no other alternative.


	4. Raphael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The leader of Castiel's faction is coming to his nest to visit. Castiel needs to make sure his treasure looks his best.

            The nest had an opening that led to a serviceable bathroom.  Only Cas could open it.  Dean argued and pleaded and debated and begged, but the angel refused to leave it open so Dean could access it at will.  The most Dean got from him was Cas’s assurance that the bathroom would stay open while Cas was away.  But for now, Cas, for reasons Dean simply could not comprehend, wanted to control Dean’s access to the facilities.  Apparently, it was part of the whole “taking care of Dean” thing Cas was so enamored with. Worse, the stupid angel wanted to come in with Dean.  That was not going to happen.  After an extensive argument, Dean finally resorted to insisting that he’d be completely unable to do his business with the angel watching and would get sick. That worked.  Cas still hovered outside the door, but it was better than having the giant standing right over him while he took a shit.  Dean hadn’t been lying.  He was positive he’d never be able to go if that had been the case.

            Unfortunately, the same thing didn’t work when Cas decided to bathe Dean.  They were getting an important visitor.  Impressions were very important.  Cas should have bathed Dean as soon as they’d arrived, but Dean had been too upset after being taken.  Dean would be fine.  This had to be done.  Dean was filthy and likely crawling with parasites.  It would be over before Dean knew it, and Dean would be grateful.  And no amount of protesting or squirming would change Cas’s mind.

            The entire experience was mortifying.  The angel was giving him this lecture as he peeled off Dean’s clothes, making each piece vanish in a brief puff of flame until Dean was naked and embarassed, trying to cover his junk while Cas carried him to the bath.  Naturally, the bath was located outside the nest.  At least he was finally able to see how to get out of the nest, although he would have much preferred not to be naked.  Too bad it didn’t help him.  Cas appeared to just walk right through the wall and bam, they were on the street. Cas seemed to live in a busy neighborhood.  Angels strolled up and down the streets, going about their business and looking important.  And here was Dean, pink and naked and completely humiliated, dangling from Cas’s arm on their way to the bath.

            The bath turned out to be a large pool of what appeared to be glowing, shimmering liquid.  Cas put him down on the edge of it and quickly, right in full view, pulled off his own tunic.  Well!  Apparently angels had no hang-ups about public nudity. That made Dean feel slightly better. He couldn’t help but notice that Cas was a very well-built angel.  He had multiple scars, probably from various battles.  But his body was lean and strong, with tight muscles and tan skin. He also had a respectable package. Dean found himself admiring, not paying much attention until Cas had him by the arm and was pulling Dean after himself, stepping into the glowing liquid.

            It didn’t feel like water.  It felt more like warm mist.  Dean’s skin tingled as he was drawn further and further in.  He didn’t like it, but he didn’t resist. But being a good pet got harder to remember as the angel waded deeper until the liquid was to his hips and Dean’s chin.  Then he lifted Dean again, smiled reassuringly, and deliberately dunked Dean beneath the surface.

            Dean thrashed.  He opened his eyes without thinking and was nearly dazzled by the light. Fortunately it didn’t hurt.  A moment later, Cas pulled him up.  “Shh, you’re alright, Dean,” he soothed as he took Dean’s chin and tilted back his head to dip his hair into the fluid again. “You’ll like this.”

            In spite of himself, Dean did like it.  Cas massaged the dirt and grime out of his hair and then moved on to clean the rest of him.  He would have much preferred to bathe himself, but when he tried to rub at his own face, Cas had gently but firmly pushed down his hands.  It was more than a little degrading.  But still, there was something soothing about how carefully the angel washed him, cleaning his hair and his body, the pads of his fingers moving over every inch of Dean’s skin.  Dean had squirmed and protested loudly when Cas cleaned his genitals, but Cas had patiently caught his hands and finished what he was doing, lingering no longer on Dean’s junk than anywhere else on his body.  At least he hadn’t been kidnapped by a giant winged pervert.  And Cas did a thorough job of scrubbing him.  Dean had never felt so clean.  He considered making a run for it when Cas let go of him to clean himself, but immediately dismissed it.  Where would he go, naked on a busy street?  No, be patient, Winchester.  Wait for your chance.

            Dean took advantage of the time to experiment with the liquid.  He could float in it just as he could in water, so he swam around a bit.  Seeing Castiel’s wing rise above him while its owner was busy scrubbing, he splashed some liquid up at it.  Amused, Cas dipped his wing into the water and splashed him back, causing a wave to wash over Dean’s face and make him cough.  Getting an idea, Dean tugged on the wing, got it down to the liquid, and started combing his fingers through the feathers, washing them.  That seemed to please Cas.  He’d stopped what he was doing and turned, putting his back to Dean.  Then he knelt down in the liquid.  “Dean, can you wash the base of my wings?  It’s hard for me to clean them properly.”

            Ok, he could do that.  In spite of himself, there was still a novelty to playing with an angel’s wings.  Dean decided to take his small pleasures where he could get them.  He worked the liquid into the feathers at the base of Cas’s wings, pulling his fingers through to remove any dirt or loose feathers. He got quite a bit of both.  The glowy stuff was the best detergent Dean had ever seen, drawing out dirt like a magnet and washing it, along with the loose features, quickly away towards what was probably some sort of filtering system at the edge of the pool.  By the time Dean finished, Cas’s wings were clean and silky smooth.  Dean couldn’t help but feel a bit proud of himself.

            Apparently, the angel was equally pleased.  Cas scooped him up, cradling Dean in his arms as he headed out of the pool.  “You’re so good, Dean!  Such a wonderful treasure!”

            Dean didn’t respond.  He let himself be carried out.  Cas picked up his old tunic and dropped it into a chute.  Then he selected a new one for himself from a shelf. He looked at Dean, reached onto the shelf again, and produced a second tunic.  This one he shook a few times.  Somehow, that made it shrink enough that when he pulled it over Dean’s head, it fit Dean the same way that Cas’s tunic fit him.  Dean was still commando, but at least he was covered.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  He’d been afraid Cas would make him stay naked. “Thanks, Cas!”

            The angel smiled, reaching out a hand to touch the silver band.  “You are my treasure,” he announced.  “I will care for you as you deserve to be cared for.”

            Well, wasn’t that a buzzkill?  Just when Dean was starting to warm up to Cas, he had to go and remind Dean once again that he was a collared pet.  Stupid angel.

            Dean strained towards the ground, wanting to walk, but of course Cas insisted on carrying him.  Well, whatever.  He didn’t have any shoes now anyway, not since Cas had elected to burn all Dean’s clothes.  Dean shifted a bit, adjusting the pressure of Cas’s arm around his waist.  Then he let himself be carried.

            They weren’t back in the nest more than five minutes before a visitor arrived, a dark-skinned angel with a haughty expression. Dean found himself edging closer to Cas, not trusting the stranger as they spoke in their own language. Whoever this new guy was, he radiated power, a lot more power than what Cas seemed to have.  When Dean saw Cas bow, his suspicions were confirmed.

            “Welcome, Raphael,” Castiel told his leader in Enochian, bowing deeply.  “You grace my simple nest with your presence.”

            The archangel’s eyes glanced around the nest, cataloging the treasures on dismay.  They lingered on Dean, one eyebrow cocking in curiosity.  “You took one of those monkeys into your nest?  I hope you bathed it properly!”

            “Of course.  We just came from the baths.”  Castiel gently scratched behind Dean’s ear.

            Raphael seized Dean’s chin, and the little human froze, staring wide-eyed up at the archangel as he was inspected.  Dean, to Castiel’s delight, was obviously afraid, but his green eyes challenged even the archangel.  But then Raphael picked him up for a closer look, and Castiel saw Dean panic, wincing and struggling to get free.  “Cas!  Help, he’s hurting me!”

            “It’s alright, Dean,” Cas soothed in the human’s language.  He gently stroked Dean’s hair.  “Raphael just wants to look at you.  Don’t struggle, and he won’t hold you as tightly.”

            Dean seemed unconvinced.  But he held obediently still, letting himself be handled until Raphael finally put him back down.  “He is very pretty,” the archangel said, naturally speaking in Enochian.  “Those eyes, I can see why you took him.  But surely there were better treasures!”

            “I wanted him.”  Castiel smiled down at Dean, who had hurried to hide behind his legs. “He’s proving to be a wonderful treasure!”

            “I’m afraid I just don’t see the value in humans.”

            “I suppose they’re an acquired taste, but Anna has a human treasure as well.  She seems as fond of hers as I am of mine.”  Castiel reached back to pet Dean, trying to calm the little human.  Dean was still hiding behind his legs, although he was peeking around them to keep a wary eye on Raphael.

            “Ah, that’s right.  I forgot about Anna’s human.  Are you intending to take yours on victory parade?”

            “Of course!  He is my most valuable treasure, after all.”

            “Valuable?  Your entire nest smells like human now, Castiel!  What were you thinking?”  Raphael shook his head.  “Well, it’s your nest, I suppose.  I’m glad you’re better at fighting than you are at choosing a victory treasure.”  He clapped his hands.  “Shall we get to business?”

            They talked for a few minutes, discussing battle strategy.  Dean seemed restless, fidgeting and playing absently with the hem of Castiel’s tunic. Castiel scooped him up.  Dean didn’t like it.  He strained towards the floor for a bit, sighed when he wasn’t put down, and then tried to twist in Castiel’s arm.  Castiel let him twist around.  To his delight, Dean immediately put his arms around the angel’s neck, brought up his legs to cling to his hips, and rested his head against the angel’s shoulder.  Castiel brought up a wing to support him and gave him a kiss in his soft hair.  Dean clung a little tighter.

            “Your treasure is at least affectionate,” Raphael said.  “And he is beautiful, isn’t he?  I suppose, once you get used to the smell, that a human could make a decent treasure.”

            Castiel smiled fondly at Dean.  “I think he’s finally starting to realize just how good his life is now.”

            “I imagine so.  Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy.  Our next battle is an important one, Castiel.  Be prepared.”

            “You know I will be.”  He bowed, saw his leader out.

            “That guy?” Dean said in his human language. “Is a dick.”

            “Aren’t you the one who called us all giant winged dicks?”

            “Yeah.  But you at least are kind of decent to me.  You’re real careful when you handle me, so that you don’t hurt me.  But that guy?  Maybe I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I get that he didn’t think much of me.  And I did not like him picking me up!  He was hurting me!”

            “He didn’t intend to hurt you.”

            “Yeah, well, he did.  He held onto me way too tight!  He may not have been trying to hurt me, but he clearly didn’t give a damn about me.”

            “I suspect, by the time he left, he’d gotten some indication of what I saw in you.”  He cuddled his treasure.  “I’ll soon have to leave you, go back into the fight.”

            “Quick question.  If you win this next battle, you gonna drag some other poor sap up here?”

            “Oh no!  Dean, there’s no reason to be jealous.  I’ll have a new victory treasure, but it won’t be another human. You are the only one I want for now. In time, you may wish company, and we’ll talk about it.  But I honestly never considered taking a human before I saw you.”

            “Why did you take me?  I know you said you thought I was cute, but why specifically me?”

            “Your eyes.”  Castiel smiled down at his treasure.  “Raphael saw it, too.  Your eyes are such a beautiful green, but more than that, there’s a fire there.  I noticed it when I first looked at you.  You were so afraid, but at the same time, you were so defiant, yelling and swearing at me.  I simply couldn’t resist!  I had to take you!”

            “Guess I’m just lucky, then.”

            His treasure was simply adorable when he was grumpy.  Dean’s head was still tucked under Castiel’s chin.  Castiel gently let him down, ruffed his hair.  This was going very, very well!


	5. Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean makes a run for it when his life as an angel's treasure goes from bad to worse

            Cas really did not want to leave Dean to go fight.  He cuddled Dean constantly, kissed him over and over, promised him it wouldn’t be long, he’d be back soon, so on and so forth over and over again until Dean felt like screaming.  There was a point when Dean was seriously afraid that the angel would somehow try to take him along into battle before Cas finally put him down.  He’d reminded Dean once again that he had access to the restroom and plenty of fresh water.  He fussed over the small basket of fruit he’d left out in case Dean got hungry. He kissed Dean three more times. Then finally, finally, he went out.

            Dean breathed a sigh of relief.  Alright. Patience.  Give the giant flying dicks plenty of time to be long gone and fighting each other.  Then get out, get gone, get home and get the stupid collar off.  Those were his goals, not necessarily in that order.  He forced himself to wait until his inner clock told him half an hour had passed.  Alright. Time to blow this popsicle stand.

            Dean walked at the wall and promptly bounced off it.  He tried walking into the wall at different points where he knew Cas and later Raphael had gone in and out.  When that didn’t work, he tried areas close to it.  Finally, he was walking and then running at the walls all over the room, bouncing again and again off of the unyielding walls.  He pounded on them in frustration.  “Damn it!  Let me out!  I know you can just let me pass through, so why won’t you do it?  Let me out!  Please, I’ve got to get out of here!”

            No use.  He tried focusing very hard, imagining a door, imagining the wall was made of mist, imagining himself walking through out into the street.  Nothing.  Every time, he bounced off of the solid, unyielding wall.  Finally, he stood in the center of the room, clenched his fists, and simply screamed at the top of his lungs.  He couldn’t get out.  Of course he couldn’t get out.  Cas had to “attune” the “nest” to Dean in order for Dean to get it to do anything. It was precisely why he’d been forced to eat rabbit food and drink water or fruit juice for days now.  Unless Cas permitted it, Dean couldn’t get the room to do anything at all except trap him, keep him here to wait for Cas to come back.

            Dean collapsed onto the nest of pillows and blankets, burrowed in, and curled into a ball.  Then he let himself fall apart.  Get it out, get it over with.  Let it all out so that he could hold it together again when Cas finally came back. He should have realized it wouldn’t be this easy.  This was a setback, and a bad one.  But he had to get out of here.  That wasn’t optional.  He just had to think, to work a little harder than he’d thought.  If he couldn’t get out on his own, then obviously he’d have to get the angel to take him out.  But that meant Cas would be right there when Dean tried to run.  The chances he’d be recaptured were high.  Didn’t matter.  Wait.  Be patient. Think before you act.  Keep acting the part of the good little human pet. Watch for your chance.  And for god’s sake, man up, Winchester.  Sammy is counting on you to get back home and keep him safe.  You need to make that happen.

            He finally managed to fall asleep.  It seemed like he’d just drifted off when he was seized by a pair of giant hands.  “Dean! I’m back!  I told you I wouldn’t be long.  Did you miss me?”  Cas gasped in dismay.  “Oh, my poor little treasure, you’ve been crying!”

            Dean gritted his teeth, wiped at his eyes, and put up with being held and cuddled and kissed and fussed over.  Cas had a new treasure from this latest battle.  The angel proudly showed off a stuffed bear with a familiar silver band around its neck.  He displayed it on a shelf with his other treasures.  Then he promptly abandoned it in favor of cuddling Dean.  The irony of this did not escape Dean.

            Cas would not let go of him.  He constantly either carried Dean or held onto Dean’s arm, even as he stripped out of his armor.  The whole time, he kept talking, assuring Dean over and over that it was alright, Cas had returned, Dean must have been so alone and frightened and worried but it was fine now.  Cas was back. Cas wouldn’t leave him again for a few days.  And he intended to spend every moment he could with Dean.

            Once again, Dean wanted to scream.  He was a bit cranky, grumbling and hunching in on himself.  He couldn’t keep himself from pulling away a bit from Cas when the angel pulled him close.  Didn’t matter.  Cas attributed Dean’s surliness to resentment at being left alone.  Dean’s mood did not improve when Cas gathered him up and they had another trip to the baths.  He let himself be cleaned, scrubbed Cas’s wings, whatever.  He experimented a bit, swimming away from Cas and climbing out of the bath, pulling on his tunic and starting to casually walk out of the bath house.  Cas immediately called him back.  Dean didn’t push it.  Too soon. Still, it was good to know that he’d made it all the way to the doorway before Cas made him return.  It gave him some idea of his boundaries. Alright.  Dean could work with this.

            Back to the nest, and a whole new challenge.  Cas insisted on hand feeding Dean.  When Dean tried to take the food, he’d actually pinned Dean’s arms with one massive arm around his chest as he held Dean on his lap.  No amount of squirming or turning his head or protesting would deter it.  The determined angel simply pressed the food to Dean’s lips and tried to make him eat it. “Dean, you haven’t been eating enough,” Cas insisted.  “I actually intended to start feeding you anyway.  Since I brought you home you’ve barely touched your food.  And you didn’t eat a single thing the entire time I was gone!”

            That’s because it was disgusting rabbit food, but of course Cas wouldn’t listen to that.  Dean groaned and struggled away from Cas’s hand.  “I’m sorry!  Stop!  You don’t have to feed me, I’ll eat!  Just let me go and give it to me.  I’ll eat whatever you want!”

            “No, Dean.  I’m going to feed you from now on.  This way, I can still keep giving you lots of attention and make sure you eat well at the same time.  I know you don’t like it, but this is what’s best for us both.  Now, I’ve made my decision,” he called as Dean started again to protest.  “You’re going to eat this.”  The bit of fruit was touching his lips again.  “Stop struggling and open your mouth!”

            Dean opened his mouth and tried hard to close his mind.  This just kept getting worse and worse.  He didn’t know how much longer he could stand it.

            Hang on, Winchester.  Let this happen.  Let him have you.  Be a good pet.  He’s got to let his guard down sooner or later.  Do what he wants, and maybe he’ll reward you by taking you out.  Dean forced himself to relax, opening his mouth, letting Cas feed him.

            Castiel smiled as his beautiful little treasure obediently stilled, eating everything he was given.  He fed Dean some pieces of fruit, a carrot, some nuts, some beans, and a tomato, washing it down with a small glass of nectar and a larger glass of fresh water.  Dean quietly ate and drank all of it.  He was even careful not to nip Castiel’s fingers. His mouth only contacted Castiel’s fingertips four times, and each time was because Castiel may have intentionally held his fingers to Dean’s mouth a bit too long.  Each time it happened, Dean flinched back, eying Castiel as though afraid he’d be punished.  But he always opened his mouth for the next bite.  He was such a good little treasure.  Castiel fed Dean the last bit of food and smiled, watching as Dean quickly licked the juice off of his lips.  He considered his sticky fingertips, looking at the juice staining them.  Then he brought them to Dean’s mouth.

            Dean frowned in confusion, looking at Castiel’s empty hand and then up at him. Castiel tapped his fingers on Dean’s lips and saw his treasure’s eyes widen.  Dean squirmed, turned his head away.  “Don’t.”

            “Dean?  Stop struggling.”  He tapped Dean’s lips again.  “Come on, now.”

            “Don’t!”  He was fighting again, straining and kicking, twisting his head away from the fingers. “Please!  I’m not an animal, don’t make me do this!”

            It didn’t make sense, but his treasure was obviously upset.  Alright then.  Castiel lowered his hand, disappointed.  But he was rewarded when Dean looked up at him with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

            Castiel kissed his head and reluctantly let him go.  Dean immediately got up, moved away.  Apparently, Castiel had succeeded in easing his loneliness and Dean felt strong enough to be left alone for a bit.  Castiel went into the restroom and washed his hand.  This would have been so much easier if Dean had only cleaned his fingers off.  It was just the juices of the food he’d already eaten, and he’d just watched Dean lick off his own lips.  Castiel wasn’t sure why Dean had been so reluctant to clean off his fingers the same way.  And what was that about not being an animal?  Castiel was fully aware of that!  No angel would want an animal, not when these wonderful humans were so readily available!  What had Dean meant by such a thing?  Must be a human thing.  He considered forcing the issue, but then he remembered the way Dean smiled.  That had made him feel so good, seeing the gratitude shine in those emerald eyes.  Maybe, in time, Dean would adjust, clean off his fingers on his own?  Be patient, Castiel.  Dean had already come so far, and now he was allowing himself to be held and hand fed.  That seemed like a big step. 

            Castiel considered his treasure.  Dean was sitting in a corner, apparently relaxing while he digested. His claiming band caught the overhead light.  Mine. This treasure belongs to me.  Sooner or later, Castiel knew he’d have to soul mark Dean.  Part of him wanted to do it immediately, while Dean was being cooperative.  But no.  If Dean wouldn’t even clean off his fingers, then it was unlikely his treasure would be willing to allow a soul marking.  Once again, patience was needed.

            Castiel climbed into his nest and got comfortable.  To his delight, his treasure immediately came over, climbing into his arms.  Cuddling him to his chest, Castiel fell asleep almost immediately.

            The next day, after being fed his breakfast, Dean was restless, pacing around. Castiel had obtained some books and electronic devices he’d noticed humans using, and Dean had been entertaining himself with them when he wasn’t interacting directly with Castiel.  But he didn’t seem interested in any of them now. For some reason, he was hovering at the wall, near where Castiel usually went in and out.  Castiel watched him for a moment.  “What are you doing, my treasure?”

            “I want to go outside.  Will you let me out?”

            Castiel frowned.  “Why?”

            “I’m tired of being shut up in here!  You go in and out, but unless you take me to the bath, I’m stuck in these same for walls 24/7!”  Pleading green eyes looked at Castiel.  “I’m going stir crazy here, Cas!  I need to get some exercise and fresh air.”

            Who could resist that?  Guilt flashed through Castiel.  “Of course! You do need exercise, don’t you? I’m sorry, my treasure, I’ve been neglectful.”  Castiel picked his treasure up, giving him an apologetic kiss.  Then he went outside, where he spread his wings.

            Dean, he discovered once more, did not care for flying.  He swore and clung fearfully to Castiel’s arm, as though fearful he would fall.  Castiel landed quickly and turned his treasure so that Dean was facing him. Then he was airborne once more. Dean’s little arms and legs went around Castiel.  Once again, his head tucked under Castiel’s chin.  The human was still trembling, clinging tightly, but he seemed much calmer now that he couldn’t see how high he was.

            Besides, having his treasure clinging to him like this was absolutely delightful.  Castiel altered his route, taking a much longer amount of time to reach his destination than was necessary, just to enjoy it.

            Castiel landed in a wide, grassy field, where he reluctantly lowered Dean to the ground.  Dean looked around and immediately brightened.  He quickly started walking and then, when he got some distance away, running.  Castiel chuckled.  Dean really did need exercise.  He’d have to take him out more frequently.  The little human was running flat-out now, the bowed legs flying over the grass.  Castiel watched him for a bit, smiling.  Then he flew out after him.

            Dean startled when he saw Cas’s shadow pass over him.  The fucking angel was chasing after him!  Already, his lungs were burning and he had a painful stitch in his side.  Running like this so soon after eating was not a good idea.  Being barefoot didn’t help much, either.  But Dean couldn’t help it.  The wide-open plain tasted too much like freedom.  He quickly changed direction and somehow pushed himself to run faster.  Go away, Cas! Leave me alone, damn it!  Just let me go!

            “Careful, Dean!” Cas called from somewhere above and behind him.  “You’re coming to the edge!  Slow down!”

            The edge?  That made no sense.  Ahead of him, the grassy plains stretched out clear to the horizon.  Freedom.  He had to get away.  When the giant hand took hold of his arm he fought with all his strength to pull free. But Cas cupped his wings, braking in the air and dragging Dean to a halt.  “You have to be careful, Dean!  The edge is right in front of you.”

            “Let go of me!”  Dean twisted free and started forward again.  He bounced off of a solid wall, banging his head and nearly knocking himself flat on his ass.

            Dean froze, rubbing his injured head and staring.  Ahead, the grasslands still continued, a passing breeze causing the grasses to ripple like ocean waves.  But when he reached forward, he encountered a solid, invisible wall.

            “This is a soul’s heaven,” Castiel explained, healing his poor confused treasure’s injury.  “The soul is back that way a bit, but his heaven only accommodates him.  We can use it, but you’ll reach the limits of it quickly if you’re not careful.  If you want to keep running, you’ll have to go the other way.”

            Understanding washed over Dean, once again nearly knocking him down.  He wasn’t on Earth.  This wasn’t an open plain.  It was another prison.  What looked like freedom was only an illusion.  Dean put up his hands, resting them against the invisible wall, and lowered his head.  “No,” he groaned.  “No!”

            “Dean, what’s wrong?”

            What’s wrong?  “Nothing.” He leaned his head against the invisible wall and tried to get his breath back, tried to calm his growing panic. Nothing’s wrong, Cas.  You locked a collar around my neck and took me away from my life because you decided I was too pretty to wallow in the mud with everyone I love.  You keep me locked in a room where you hold me on your lap and pet me and kiss me and generally treat me like a pet.  You can easily give me food and drink I’d actually enjoy, but you won’t.  You won’t even let me feed myself what you do give me. And you tried to make me lick your hand like a dog.  No, Cas, nothing’s wrong.  Nothing at all. 

            It was just too much.  “I want to go home,” Dean whispered in spite of himself.

            “Of course.”  Cas sounded concerned.  The giant hands reached for Dean.  “I’ll take you back to the nest, and...”

            “No!”  Dean dodged, ducking away and backing rapidly.  “I told you I wanted exercise.  Let me walk!”

            “You’re obviously very upset, Dean, but your discipline is slipping again. You are going to have to get used to flying.”  The hands caught him, lifted him and pulled him closer.  “Hold onto me, like you did before.  That was very nice.”

            What choice did he have?  Dean clung to the angel, bracing for another awful flight.  But he couldn’t keep himself from asking.  “Will you ever take me to Earth?”

            Cas paused in the act of taking off.  “Why would I take you to Earth?”

            “Because there are people there that I care about, Cas!” Dean exclaimed, exasperated.  “My brother, my family?  They probably think I’m dead!  I want to see them, just for a little while!”

            “I can’t adopt your entire family, Dean.  If you have a brother, perhaps when the war ends, I can find him and bring him to...”

            “No! No, no, no!  Don’t take Sammy here!  Just take me to him, let me visit for a little while.”  Dean gave the angel his best puppy eyes.  “Please, won’t you take me?”

            “Not now.  After the war, if you’re very very good, then we’ll see.”

            “Alright!  I’ll be good, you’ll see!”  Whatever it took.  Sammy was so smart.  He would have figured out Dean had been taken.  He was probably researching right now, trying to find a way to get Dean free, get the stupid collar off and either block Cas or get them both to a place where Cas couldn’t take him again.  If he could get to Sammy, he could be free.

            Dean continued to tell himself this as Cas returned them to his nest. He was back in his cage.


	6. Parade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel seeks out advice on how best to protect his treasure during a victory parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thx to everyone who bookmarked, subbed, or left kudos or comments!

            Dean was the perfect treasure.  He snuggled up to Castiel when the angel wanted to cuddle him.  He still didn’t want to clean Castiel’s fingers, although the angel would hold them hopefully near his mouth when he was done feeding Dean. Every time, Dean turned his head away, struggling until Castiel let him go.  But he ate everything he was fed.  He followed every direction.  He kept Castiel’s wings glossy, groomed, and spotless.  He even helped by tidying up the nest.  He was easily the best treasure that Castiel, or any other angel, had ever taken.  So when they won their next battle and Raphael ordered a formal victory parade, naturally Castiel selected Dean as his treasure of choice.

            “This is a very important event, Dean,” he explained as he carefully combed Dean’s hair.  He pointed with the comb down at Dean’s new sandals.  “You’ll need protection for your feet today if you don’t want me to carry you.  Once we’re in formation, we can’t break it.  But don’t worry.  I’ll be picking you up to fly between parade sites, and if you’re tired, I can keep carrying you.  Just let me know.”

            “No thanks, I don’t want to be carried.  Where are we going?”

            “We’ll be marching quite a bit, traveling through parts of Heaven you’ve never seen, enemy territory.  Then we’ll be marching through the new territory we’ve acquired on Earth.”

            His treasure sucked in his breath.  “Earth?  We’re going to Earth?”

            Castiel hummed and picked up a jade green sash that enhanced the color in Dean’s eyes.  “The display of our most valuable war treasure is an important part of the ceremony,” he explained as he wrapped the sash around Dean’s waist.  “That’s why I’m taking you.  All you have to do is stay close and look beautiful, which of course you do anyway.”  He smiled and playfully chucked his treasure’s chin.  “Now, it is possible that there will be other human treasures in this parade, so you’ll be able to see a bit of what I expect of you as my treasure.  I’m fairly certain that Anna is taking hers.  She’s brought her human before.”  He pulled a decorative knot into the sash and paused, inspecting his work.  “I’m ashamed to admit that I paid very little attention to her human.  Until I had you, I just never had an interest in them.  So before this parade, I’m going to take you to Anna’s nest, get some advice on the best way to keep you safe.”

            “Safe?  What do you mean, keep me safe?”

            Castiel hummed again, picking Dean up.  “We’re marching through newly conquered enemy territory.  This is a show of force, a sign of Raphael’s strength. It’s not likely that any enemy angels would be foolish enough to attack.  But it’s not completely unheard of, especially if something goes wrong with the parade.  I need to know how Anna keeps her human safe.”

            Action quickly suited words, and before long, Castiel was invited into Anna’s nest.  Anna was his unit leader, so he stood stiffly at attention, still carrying Dean in one arm despite his squirming to get down, until she invited him to make himself at home. Only then did he put his treasure down. Dean’s eyes had locked immediately on the red-haired human Anna had been grooming.  The two humans stared at each other for a moment in silence.

            “Castiel, welcome!” Anna began in Enochian.  “What brings you to my nest?”

            “My treasure, Dean,” Castiel explained.  “It will be my first time taking him on a parade.  I’m here for some advice on how to keep him safe.”

            “Hi,” Dean called, smiling at the other human.  “I’m Dean.  What’s your name?”

            The red-haired human simply stared.  A thumb made its way to her mouth, and Dean blinked.

            Anna chuckled, arranging her treasure’s hair and leaning back to check her work.  “Well, Castiel, here’s the thing about humans.  As treasures, they can’t be matched.  Each one is unique, with their own little personality.  They’re beautiful and affectionate.  They provide company and something to care for and spoil. Take good care of them, and once they’re broken, they’ll love you and be perfect little companions forever.  But breaking them takes time and strict discipline, and until they’re broken, they make terrible, terrible treasures!”

            “Oh, I disagree!  My Dean is a wonderful treasure, and I’ve only had him a very short time!”

            Dean had no idea what the angels were jabbering about in angelspeak and didn’t care.  He inched closer to the human girl.  “Hey, it’s alright.  I’m not gonna hurt you.  I’m human, like you!  Um, do you speak English?”

            The female simply stared at him.

            “That’s the problem with humans,” Anna explained, still speaking in Enochian. “They’re deceitful.  They lie, they try to trick you, and they constantly want to escape.  When I first took my Charlie, she was bright and cheerful and bubbly.  She smiled all the time.  She was the most loving and affectionate little thing any angel could ask for.  And it was all a lie.  All she was trying to do was get me to let my guard down so she could escape.  And she tried, over and over again, to do exactly that! Because all any human really wants is to go right back to Earth and wallow in the dirt again!”

            “I don’t understand.  We rescued them from that, brought them here and surrounded them by luxury!  On Earth, they don’t even know for sure where their next meal is coming from, and the things they’re forced to eat?”  Castiel shuddered.  He looked down at his treasure.

            Dean had ventured forward, keeping his hands up and in full sight and a cheerful smile on his face.  “Hey, it’s alright!” he was soothing.  “I’m not gonna hurt you, I just want to talk.”  But the girl turned away from him, closing her eyes and pressing her face into the female angel’s side.

            Anna reached down and gently rubbed at the girl’s back.  Charlie looked up at her, her face still blank.  Anna reached onto a table and picked up a small piece of fruit, feeding it to Charlie.  Charlie ate it like she did everything else, eyes blank and unseeing.  “That’s the thing, Castiel.  Humans are inherently stupid,” Anna was saying.  “They’re clever enough, it’s true.  Some of the things Charlie has done to try to escape, the elaborate plans she must have made and put into action?  They’re nearly worthy of an angel in terms of strategy! But they’re too stupid to understand that their life is better here.  They insist they need to go back for family or mates or any number of things. Surely Dean has mentioned something?” She pressed her fingers to Charlie’s lips as she spoke, letting Charlie lick them clean.  Dean stood as he was, staring in wide-eyed shock.

            “His brother.”  Castiel was watching Dean with a worried frown as Dean swallowed hard and tried again to talk softly to Charlie, coax her into responding to him.  Charlie was trembling now, her little face pressed once more into Anna’s tunic.  Castiel scooped Dean up and drew him away from the other human.  Dean didn’t like it and squirmed to be put down, but Castiel thought Charlie needed a break.  “He said he misses his brother.  But oddly enough, he was set against the idea of my taking his brother, too.”

            “Of course he was.  Let me guess, he wants you to take him to see his brother instead?”

            “Yes, that’s exactly what he wants!”

            Anna clicked her tongue.  “What he really wants, Castiel, is a chance to escape with his brother.  He wants to leave you and go back to his life on Earth because he’s simply too stupid to understand he’s better off with you. Have you Grace marked him yet?”

            “No. I understand it’s painful for them. I was waiting until Dean accepted me more, understood the need for it, maybe even initiated it on his own?”

            She shook her head.  “It won’t happen.  Hold him down and do it as soon as you’re able, and renew it often.  You should do it every two or three days for the first month until his soul is properly marked, then once a week until it’s permanent. Until that happens, keep him in your nest, locked up, or restrained.  It’s for the best.  Otherwise, when he runs away, and he will run away soon?  It will be much harder to find him.  I know.  It took me three days to get Charlie back when she managed to get to Earth, and that was only because another angel saw her claiming band and brought her back to me. I had to punish her severely! Fortunately, she hasn’t tried to escape in some time now.  I’ve had her now for over a year.  She’s fully Grace marked and broken, and this is how she is.  Perfectly obedient.  They do make wonderful treasures eventually, once they’re broken.  But breaking them takes time.”  Anna gently stroked Charlie’s hair.  “I’ll admit I miss the happy, bubbly treasure she used to be. She never smiles anymore, and if I didn’t feed her, she’d never eat.  But at least now, she’s well behaved, and shows me affection like she did when your treasure upset her a bit ago.  Of course, I still don’t take any chances with her.  You wanted to know how best to keep your treasure safe on this parade, Castiel?  The best way to do that is to make absolutely certain he cannot get away.”

            “And how do you...?  Oh.”

            Anna had picked up a length of chain with an open manacle.  She attached the manacle to her human’s wrist.  Charlie didn’t respond, but Dean did.  He immediately started to yell and struggle. Anna shook her head.  “I’d say you have a long way to go, Castiel!  But when all is said and done?  What humans need most is a firm hand.”

            “I’ll remember that.  Thank you.” Castiel saluted again and took his leave.

            “What the fuck are you doing, Cas?!” Dean was yelling as they headed back to the nest.  “She just chained that poor girl up like an animal!  You gotta go back and help her!”

            “Charlie is fine.  Anna’s just keeping her safe.”

            “Safe?  Cas, she’s a freaking zombie!”  He suddenly stilled.  “Is that how you want me to be?  A zombie that just stares off into space and isn’t even really there at all?”

            “No, of course not!  I love your spirit, Dean.  That fire in your eyes is the best thing about you.  But Anna did have a few very good points.”

            “I don’t think I like the sound of that.”

            They’d returned to Castiel’s nest, where he put Dean down.  Then he knelt down and took Dean’s shoulders, looking him in the eye.  “Dean, do you want to escape?”

            “Huh?”

            “Do you want to leave me, go back to Earth?  Be honest now!”

            His treasure looked away.  “I want to see my brother.  I already told you that.”  He looked up quickly.  “B-but it doesn’t mean I want to leave you!  You saved me, remember?”  Dean smiled at him.

            “I see.”  Castiel sighed and got up.  “Dean, I know you won’t like this, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to take some precautions.  I can’t risk you running away and getting lost or hurt.”

            Dean definitely did not like the sound of that.  He’d largely ignored the conversation in angelspeak that Cas had with the hot but bitchy lady angel, but he’d known they were probably discussing him. Now he didn’t care for the determined look on Cas’s face as the angel turned away and brushed a hand over one wall. A drawer that hadn’t been visible before opened.  Cas rummaged through it and Dean blinked, looking at the walls, wondering how many invisible drawers there were?

            Then Cas closed the drawer and came towards him, holding a length of rope in his hands, and Dean panicked.  He raced wildly around the nest.  Naturally Cas caught him quickly.  “No!” Dean yelled, struggling.  “No, whatever you’re thinking of doing with that rope, don’t you do it, Cas!  Don’t you...  No!  Stop!”

            “This is for your own good, Dean,” Cas insisted.  He’d pushed Dean down onto his back, caught both of his hands and was busy tying them together, ignoring the way his treasure yelled and thrashed. “I know you don’t understand.  But you cannot run away at this parade!”

            “I won’t run away!  You’re not gonna drag me around on the end of a rope!”  Dean was tugging and pulling on the rope, trying to get loose from the moment Cas let him up.  But he couldn’t.  The rope was strong, the knots solid.  Dean knew he wasn’t getting out of it through brute force.  He tried to force himself to calm and think.  He twisted his wrists experimentally in the rope.  Then he held them up imploringly towards Cas.  “You tied me way too tight.  You gotta loosen it up a bit!  My hands will go numb!”

            “Your circulation is just fine, Dean.  I checked.”  Cas had gathered up the rope and was scooping him up again.  “We need to get going.  I’ll have to fix your clothes once we get there.”

            “I can fix them myself if you just let my hands go!”  Dean squeezed his eyes shut as Cas took to the skies, trying hard not to think about how high the angel usually flew.  At least he could put his bound hands around Cas’s neck and hold on like that.  But to be paraded through the streets on a rope?  How could he stand that?  Dean’s stomach churned.  He shoved his face into Cas’s shoulder and shuddered.  “Please, just untie me, ok?  I’ll be fine!  Nothing’s gonna happen to me!”

            “No, it won’t.  I won’t allow it.”

            They’d already arrived at the start of their silly parade.  More angels than Dean had seen yet were gathered, standing in groups in neat, orderly rows.  Every one of them was carrying an object bearing a silver band.  Cas took his place at the end one of the rows, near the front of his group.  As soon as he put him down, Dean immediately started struggling again, straining against the rope.  “Please untie me?  Come on, Cas! I’m in a lot more danger if I can’t defend myself, right?”  Dean looked towards the front of the line and saw Anna with the red-haired girl.  The girl still looked like a robot, and she moved like one, too, following obediently on the end of the chain on her wrist. Dean shuddered and looked away, but it gave him an idea.  “Hey, look, Anna didn’t chain both of her girl’s hands, right?  You don’t have to tie both of mine!  What if you just tied one of my hands?  You could still keep me with you like that!  I still couldn’t go anywhere, so I’d be safe, right?”

            Cas frowned, thinking it over.

            Alright.  Time to sweeten the deal.  Dean pressed against the angel’s side, giving Cas his best puppy eyes, and held his bound hands imploringly up.  “Come on, Cas!  I can’t even hug you like this!  Untie me, keep me on the rope with just one hand, and I can!  What’s it going to hurt?  There’s, like, a hundred angels here, and they’ve all got their own stupid shit.  So it’s not like anyone’s going to try to steal me, right?”

            “No one will steal you, Dean.  You’re wearing my claiming band!  For another angel to try to steal you would constitute an act of war!”

            “Which further proves my point!  Come on!” He gave Cas his most charming smile, looking up at the angel adoringly.  “Please?”

            Cas sighed.  Then, to Dean’s immense relief, he untied his hands.  “You need to stay very close to me, Dean,” he advised as he re-knotted the rope around Dean’s left wrist.  “This is very important.  The point of a victory parade is to mark an end to hostilities.  Since they surrendered, we now own these new territories. But the angels who are still here haven’t yet pledged loyalty to Raphael.  We need to show our strength, and our ability to hold the territory. We cannot show any sign of weakness!” He drew up the rope, pulling Dean close. “Be good, stay close to me, and I’ll reward you afterwards.  Alright?”

            “Sure, Cas!”  Dean hugged the angel tight, and received a smile and an affectionate scratching behind his ear in return.  Perfect.

            The parade began.  Castiel had always enjoyed a symbolic show of force over an actual one.  He was a good fighter.  He certainly didn’t mind going into battle and defeating his enemies. But this war had been dragging on for years now.  They were so close to ending it!  He wanted a return to peace, where he could just spend time doing things he enjoyed between missions.  Now that he had Dean, the possibility of a peaceful future was even more appealing. This parade was a big step towards making that dream a reality.

            Castiel’s place was at the right end of the second row.  That meant that Dean, walking on his right, had nothing separating him from the crowd of hostile angels they passed as they marched by. It worried Castiel a little.  He knew his reputation was secure.  He fussed a bit with Dean’s claiming band, adjusting it around his treasure’s neck to make sure his name was clearly visible. There.  Now every angel could clearly see that Dean belonged to him. That should keep him safe.  Still the idea of his helpless little treasure being so close to enemy angels was disturbing.

            When the parade began, Castiel kept his treasure on a short lead, giving him only enough rope so that he could walk comfortably without having his arm pulled up. Dean had the rope wrapped around his little hand, holding onto it, keeping it from tugging on his wrist.  That was fine.  He walked obediently close as they marched, moving into the newly-conquered territory.  The defeated angels would offer gifts to Rafael as tokens of submission, the best of their leaders’ treasures.  When the parade finished, it would return to the start, where all the treasures would be waiting.  Raphael would look through the offerings, take whatever he wished, and anything he didn’t claim would be returned to its owner.  Already, most of the defeated leaders had brought their best treasures, displaying them on the field to appease Raphael.  Castiel had noticed a frightened human among the offerings and frowned.  Losing a treasure was tough on any angel, but to lose a human?  For the first time in his existence, Castiel actually felt bad for an enemy.  The human’s owner must be frantic.  Well, no need to worry.  Knowing Raphael’s feelings on humans, that particular treasure likely would not be among the archangel’s chosen spoils.  The idea that the human would soon be returned to his owner made Castiel feel better.  He fought back the urge to look at Dean and kept marching, head held high in perfect formation.

            At least Dean was well-behaved.  His short bow legs had to take extra steps to keep up with Castiel, but he never tugged on the rope, never strayed from Castiel’s side.  Such a good treasure!  Castiel’s chest swelled with pride.  Soon enough, his faction would be victorious.  There would be more marches like this before the final victory march through the heart of enemy territory, when the enemy leaders themselves would be presented to Raphael for justice.  Castiel couldn’t wait.

            Now it was time to head to Earth.  This time, Castiel was prepared.  He held Dean snuggly against his chest, using his Grace to create a bubble of air so his treasure could breathe even in the high atmosphere.  The human squirmed excitedly to get down once they landed and smiled when his feet were back on the Earth.  Castiel was glad he’d thought to give his treasure shoes.  Now Dean stood fearlessly beside him, trying to look everywhere at once.  When the order came, Castiel gathered up the rope and marched proudly, keeping his treasure close to his side.

            There were more enemy angels here.  The guardians of the souls here in this territory would remain at their posts, now answering to Raphael.  They were less than pleased about this unwanted change of leadership.  This was the most critical part of the parade. Guardian angels were uncivilized at best, brutes at worst, and crass pretty much always.  Castiel supposed it came from their posting down in the mud on Earth.  It was no secret that guardians bore no love for the angels in Heaven and welcomed any excuse to rebel or put them down.  Little wonder the war had started on Earth.

            None of the defeated angels made a sound as the parade passed.  Of course not.  They knew their place.  They were, after all, looking at their new overlords.  That was why it was odd when a group of them started laughing as Castiel’s line moved past.  Then the next group he passed did the same, and so did the next.  The rules of formation stated that marching angels marched facing forward, moving in silence, not looking to the right or the left at any point for anything short of a direct attack.  It showed the power of the marching angels, that they were secure enough to have no need to look anywhere but ahead.  But that meant Castiel and those he marched with had no idea what the joke was.

            The laughter continued, turning to jeers as the parade went on.  Castiel tightened his grip on Dean’s rope, feeling uneasy. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before.  It was insulting, a slap in the face for Raphael and a complete undermining of everything the parade was supposed to accomplish!  What was going on?

            Finally, Raphael called for a halt and came storming back to see what was wrong. Castiel stood stiffly at attention, holding tightly to Dean’s rope.  It was good that now he’d find out what the fuss was about.  But for Raphael to stop the parade was unprecedented.  His leader was being humiliated during his own victory parade!  How could he expect to hold this territory now?

            Castiel couldn’t understand what had happened.  He was completely oblivious, right up to the point when Raphael approached, glared at Castiel with outright murder in his eyes, and angrily held up the dangling end of the rope that had once held Castiel’s greatest treasure.

            Castiel stared at it horror as realization dawned and more laughter rang out from the enemy angels.  At some point while they’d been marching, probably back when the enemy angels had first started laughing, Dean had untied himself and escaped.  Castiel’s treasure was gone, and he had been marching holding on to an empty rope.  No wonder the defeated angels had laughed!  They were roaring now, laughing, clapping, and jeering, mocking his humiliation.  And meanwhile, his archangel was furious.  He gestured angrily, indicating that Castiel should step out of the parade.  Of course he was.  No angel without a treasure could march in a victory parade.

            Complete and utter humiliation.


	7. Crime and Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean face the consequences of the ruined victory parade

            It was easier than he’d thought.  All Dean had to do was wait until no angels were along the parade route to catch him.  He held the rope with the hand it was tied to, making sure it didn’t tug and alert Cas. Then he carefully undid the knot at his wrist as they marched, unwound the rope from around it, and he was free. He’d been worried about the giant flying dick marching in the line directly behind Cas, but it turned out he needn’t have bothered.  The other angel’s eyes had gone wide, his face paled.  But he’d kept right on marching.  Apparently, angels in formation couldn’t squeal.  Perfect.

            Dean jogged off, a free man.

            Right until the first of the strange angels caught sight of him.

            Dean tried to dodge, but the angel had friends with him.  They quickly cornered him and he was caught, lifted into the air painfully by one arm.  “Put me down, you son of a bitch!” he yelped, kicking.  “You’re hurting me!  You’re gonna dislocate my arm!”

            No one seemed to be paying any attention to him.  The angels were all pointing at or touching his collar.  For some reason, they found it highly amusing. They were laughing so hard some of them had tears in their eyes.  Of course. The damned thing marked Dean as Cas’s property, after all.  But Cas was part of a group that had just taken over this area, and the angels in it, by force.  Now, the losing angels had something that was marked as having value to one of their new overlords?  Yeah, this was not good.  They were laughing, no doubt making fun of poor Cas for losing Dean.  But what would they do now that they had Dean?  Cas had been worried about keeping Dean safe. Suddenly, those concerns seemed justified.  The first twinges of real fear spread through Dean as he looked at the angels, seeing nothing but mocking grins looking back at him.  “Hey, listen,” he called.  “This stupid thing around my neck?  It’s got nothing to do with me!  I’m not part of the war, ok?  I’m just a guy that they kidnapped!  I’m worse off than you guys!  All I want is to go home.  Please, can’t you just let me go?”

            They talked to each other in their weird angel language.  Then they laughed.  The one holding Dean threw him at another, who roughly caught him.  This one tossed Dean to another angel, who threw him to another.  Dean was soaring helplessly through the air, tossed from angel to angel like a ball in a game of catch.  All he could hear was laughter.  They seemed very entertained at how Dean yelled and struggled.  Fine.  He held still, resolved to just wait this out.  Hopefully they wouldn’t drop him from ten thousand feet or snap him in half.

            Finally they seemed to tire of their game.  An angel tossed Dean over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and started off.  All around him was more laughter.  His heart pounded.  What would they do to him?  Any number of horrible scenarios raced through his head as he was carried.

            But he was still completely surprised when he was suddenly thrown to the ground at Castiel’s feet.

            Cas looked pissed.  His blue eyes were full of fury as he glared down at Dean.  A giant hand seized Dean’s arm, dragged him to his feet.  For a moment, Dean was afraid that Cas was actually going to hit him.  But instead, Cas grabbed his hands, pinched them roughly together.  Then the rope was back, this time tying Dean’s hands so tightly he winced.  “Cas! Come on, you’re hurting me!”

            Cas literally growled at him.  He roughly picked Dean up and started flying.  Dean winced and looked around anxiously.  Where was the big army of angels?  There were a scattered few flying nearby, but no sign of the big group.  Either the parade was over, or Cas had been kicked out of it.  Either way, the result was the same.  Cas flew back to Heaven largely alone.  He did whatever he’d done before that let Dean breathe in high altitude, but that was the only consideration Cas provided Dean.  Reaching his destination, he put Dean down and snatched up the end of the rope to hold him in place.  Then he waited.

            Dean knew better than to struggle, but he didn’t understand why Cas didn’t go back to the nest.  Instead, he stood stiffly at attention, looking pale and determined.  After a time, other angels flew past.  None of them would look at Cas.  Not good.  Somehow, Dean had a bad feeling that he’d just gotten Cas into a lot of trouble.

            Then the furious archangel arrived.

            Raphael looked disgusted.  He sneered at Dean.  Then he hauled off and cracked Cas hard across the face.  Blood flew.  Cas staggered, nearly fell, and Dean gasped.  “Hey!  Knock it off, asshole!  It wasn’t his fault I ran away!”

            Neither angel paid him any attention.  Cas stood back up, faced his leader.  Dean held his breath, hoping to see Cas sock the arrogant fucker right in the mouth.  But instead, Cas’s eyes dropped.  And then he bowed deeply before the archangel.

            Dean’s heart sank.  He’d finally realized the truth.  He’d just humiliated Castiel in front of Raphael.  And now Castiel would no doubt pay the price for it.  Even now, Cas’s wings and shoulders were drooping as Raphael stormed off.  The angel’s cheeks were burning from more than the mark of the archangel’s hand. Cas’s blue eyes were full of shame and anguish.  Dean swallowed hard.  Seeing the powerful, proud angel brought so low turned his stomach.  Whatever else had happened between them, Cas had taken decent care of Dean.  He didn’t deserve this, especially not for something Dean did.  “Cas?” he called softly.  “I know it probably doesn’t mean much, but I’m sorry.”

            Cas’s eyes turned to Dean, as though just realizing Dean was still there.  Without a word, Cas picked Dean up, letting Dean put his bound arms around the angel’s neck again.  Then once again they were flying.

            Dean wracked his brains for something to say to Cas on the flight.  But Cas seemed in no mood for conversation anyway. The angel’s eyes were full of anger now as he flew.  The arm that held Dean was uncomfortably tight.  Dean didn’t dare protest.  By the time they got back to the nest, Dean knew he was in trouble.  For the first time since Castiel had kidnapped him, Dean was genuinely afraid of the angel.  And when Cas threw him angrily into the pile of pillows, Dean was scared shitless. “Cas!  I’m sorry, alright?  I had to try to get away!  My brother...”

            “You humiliated me in front of my ruling archangel!” Cas yelled, stalking towards Dean with his fists clenched and his wings flaring aggressively.  “You completely ruined that parade, Dean! Don’t you have any idea what you’ve done?!”

            Dean held up his bound hands in supplication and crawled backwards.  “I’m sorry!  I’m sorry I ruined your parade, but I had to try to get back to my brother!”

            “Your brother?!”  Cas grabbed the dangling end of Dean’s rope and angrily jerked him to his feet.  “You have no idea what it is you’ve done, do you?! You stupid ape, you may have just killed your brother!”

            “No!”  Dean threw himself at Cas, clinging to the angel’s tunic.  “Please, I’ll do anything you want, just don’t hurt my brother!”

            Cas gave a short, harsh laugh.  “I have no intention of hurting your brother.  But that parade was intended as a show of strength to end the hostilities! Any problem with the parade, any weakness shown, and the fighting starts up again.  It’s already happening!  Because of you, that territory is once again in dispute!  And guess what, Dean?  If your brother is still where I first found you?  Then he’s going to be caught right in the middle of the fighting!”

            “No!” Dean groaned.  He buried his face in Cas’s tunic.  “No, please you gotta stop it!”

            Incredulous blue eyes bulged at him.  “Stop it?  I can’t stop it!  Dean, I’ll be lucky if I can even fight in it after this!  I am the laughing stock of Raphael’s forces!  I’ll have to sit out the next battle, possibly the next as well. And when I am permitted to go into battle, I’ll have to forfeit my right to take a treasure!”

            “Treasure?!”  Suddenly Dean was angry again.  He moved away from Cas, jerking on his rope.  “That’s all you assholes care about, isn’t it?  Taking treasures, just like you took me!  Well, fuck you!  All this shit is your fault in the first place!  Your stupid angel war?  Humans don’t give a shit which angel owns what territory!  We just want to be free to live our lives in peace, alright?”

            Cas suddenly looked tired.  “She was right.  Anna was right.  What humans need the most is a firm hand.”

            Dean froze.  “What?”

            Cas was nodding.  He drew on the rope, winding it around his fist to pull Dean closer.  “Come here, Dean.  It’s time I did what I should have done when I first chose you.”

            And just like that, Dean was frightened again.  He dug in his heels, but could do nothing to keep from being dragged closer to the grim-faced angel.  “Stop! What are you going to do to me? Cas!”

            Cas was determined now.  He pulled up on the rope, dragging Dean by his wrists up to his toes, and then pushed him, forcing Dean down until he was lying on his back on the pillows.  Dean struggled without much hope. “Please!  Just tell me what you’re gonna do!  I know I got it coming, just...  Cas, please!  What are you doing to me?!”

            “I’m going to mark your soul,” Cas explained, holding Dean down with one massive hand on the human’s chest.  “It won’t be permanent, not yet.  But with repeated application it will be.  It will mark you as my treasure and ensure I can always sense where you are.”

            “You’re gonna mark my soul?!  What the hell is wrong with my collar?!”

            “My band can be removed, and you can be given to another.  With this, you’ll always be my treasure.”

            The hand on Dean’s chest started to glow, and Dean’s resolve broke.  “No, stop!  Don’t do this!  Please, just let me go home!”

            “No. You’re mine, Dean.  And I will never, ever let you go!”

            The hand on Dean’s chest somehow pushed deeper, passing into him, touching something deep inside that suddenly burned with a searing agony.  Dean screamed one long, tortured scream.  His body tried hard to arch against Castiel’s hand, to writhe and twist away.  “GET OUT OF ME!”

            “It will be over soon.”

            It seemed like an eternity, an endless hell of burning pain, as though he were being somehow branded from the inside out. When it was over and Cas finally removed his hand, Dean was panting, wild-eyed, and shaking.  “Shh, it’s alright,” Castiel soothed, reaching up to stroke Dean’s hair.  “It’s over now.  Next time, don’t fight me, and the pain will be far less.  After a time, it will be permanent.  Then you will always be my treasure!”

            Furious viridian eyes locked onto his.  Then, to Castiel’s shock, Dean actually spat in his face.  “Get away from me!  Don’t you get that I don’t want to be your treasure?!  I don’t want to stay here!  I don’t care what you burn into my soul, or lock around my neck, or tattoo into my skin or anything else you decide to do to me!  You don’t own me, and sooner or later, one way or another, I will get away from you!”  He kicked at Castiel.  “Let me up, fucking untie me and let me go!”

            Castiel stared at him in stunned surprise.  The pain of rejection washed over him like a wave. Dean didn’t want to be his treasure. Dean wanted to get away.  What had happened today hadn’t been a fluke.  It was just like Anna had warned him.  Dean had probably planned his escape, biding his time, letting Castiel believe he understood how good his life was now, that he’d accepted his place as Castiel’s most valued treasure.  But all along, all the human had really wanted was to go back, to wallow once more in the dirt and filth and deprivation of life on Earth.

            In his pain and misery, he’d let Dean squirm out from under his hand.  Now Dean was up, screaming and cursing as he strained to pull free.  He jerked frantically on the rope, kicking at Castiel. The dirt on his sandals from his time on Earth was leaving muddy prints on Castiel’s white tunic.  That seemed symbolic somehow.

            What humans needed the most was a firm hand. So be it.

            Dean had grown complacent.  He’d hated being held prisoner and degraded, but he’d grown accustomed to being pampered, being cared for, being, well, treasured.  When the blow came, it was a shock in more than just the physical sense.  He suddenly found himself on the floor, arms held up at an awkward angle by the rope, his cheek stinging and his ears ringing.  Then he was pulled up by the rope around his wrists, dropped roughly back on his feet, and struck again, this time a harsh backhand to the other side of his face.

            Dean staggered to his feet and lunged at Cas. “Don’t hit me!  Don’t you fucking hit me, you...!”

            Another blow, and another.  Now they were coming fast, battering Dean, making him cry out in pain and struggle wildly to try to free himself.  But Cas was merciless.  He brutally jerked Dean back up, letting him get his feet under him just to knock them out again.  Dean’s knees were bloody from falling again and again.  The ropes cut into his wrists.  His face and body were battered and bruised.  He finally stopped struggling and closed his eyes, letting Cas drag him up and beat him back down again and again until it finally, finally stopped.  The rope went slack, and Dean collapsed.  He lay whimpering on the floor where he’d fallen, Cas standing over him, seeming to inspect him.  Then once more the rope around his wrists dragged him up.  “No!” he moaned.  “Stop, no more!  Please, Cas! Don’t hit me anymore!”

            “Oh, my beautiful treasure, just look at you!” The angel’s voice sounded sorrowful in Dean’s ringing ears as his hand gently took Dean’s aching jaw, raised his battered face.  “Why must you make me do this, punish you so severely?”

            Dean’s anger flared again.  “I didn’t make you hurt me!  You chose to do it!”

            That earned him another blow, a strike to Dean’s body that knocked the wind out of his lungs.  Cas didn’t let him fall, holding up the rope to keep him on his feet. Once again, the hand took his chin, raising his face.  “Dean? Listen to me.  I don’t understand why you continue to fight.  I give you everything!  I care for you, feed you from my own hand, protect you!  Why won’t you just accept what I give you and be my treasure?”

            “Because you treat me like an animal!” Dean yelled. “You locked a collar around my neck and you took me away from everything and everyone I care about!  You won’t let me make choices for myself.  You won’t even let me feed myself!  This isn’t Heaven, it’s Hell, and I hate it here!  I don’t want to be your treasure!  I don’t want anything to do with you!  I want to go home!  Please, please just let me go!”

            Castiel’s heart ached.  He released Dean’s chin and reached out his hand to pet his treasure, hesitating when Dean cried out in fear and tried to writhe away.  The beautiful human was no longer beautiful. The pristine white tunic was torn and bloody, the green sash missing.  Dean’s face was a mass of discolored marks and swelling, blood trickling where the skin had split in places from the force of his blows.  What he’d done would have barely awakened a napping angel, but his little treasure had taken a severe beating.  It was obvious Dean was still in pain, wincing when he moved in any way that aggravated his injuries.  The rational, strategic part of Castiel’s mind told him to let his human heal naturally, let him feel the continued pain as his body mended itself slowly over time.  That would serve to reinforce the lesson he’d taught today.  If there was any scarring or permanent damage, he could heal it at any time.  But Castiel couldn’t abide it.  He touched his fingers to his treasure’s forehead, and instantly Dean’s wounds mended.

            Dean froze.  He’d sucked in his breath when he felt Cas’s Grace wash over him, healing his wounds.  Now he watched Cas with anxious anticipation.  Cas was so much larger than he was, dwarfing Dean, making Dean feel like little more than a child.  The angel could hurt him so easily.  He’d already hurt him.  Had Cas healed him only so he could beat Dean some more?

            The rope was taut in Cas’s hand, Dean pulling on it almost without knowing.  When Cas simply looked at him, Dean started to shake.  No.  He refused to cry.  He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing back the tears that threatened to well to the surface, and licked his lips.  “Please,” he whispered.  “Let me go? Please!  I want to go home!”

            Something seemed to twist inside of Castiel.  He reached for Dean’s cheek, wanting to stroke his face.  But Dean gasped in alarm and twisted away, jerking hard on the rope, even going to his knees in an attempt to get away from Castiel’s hand.  He gave a little moan, his eyes closed and his face turned away. He looked pale, frightened. Terrified of the angel who had just beaten him bloody.  Castiel hesitated, pulling his hand back.  His treasure looked up at him again with wide, frightened eyes.  He flinched away and squeezed his eyes shut once more when Castiel reached forward again.

            Castiel touched the shining silver claiming band around Dean’s neck, his fingers tracing over the Enochian letters that spelled out his name.  Mine.  You’re mine.  My treasure, earned through victory in battle.  You belong to me.

            “I don’t!  I don’t care how many victories you have in battle, that doesn’t mean you own me!  Just let me go!”

            Castiel hadn’t realized he’d said the words aloud. He shook his head.  Then he untied Dean’s hands, scooped his squirming, frightened treasure up, and headed to the baths.

            Dean fought and struggled the entire time while Castiel cleaned him, washing away all the dirt and blood.  But once again, his treasure looked pristine, beautiful. That was better.  Castiel told him to clean his wings, and instead Dean tried to swim away and run out of the bath house, forcing Castiel to run after him and drag him back.  Dean fought all the way and was still fighting now, kicking and splashing and cursing, refusing to submit.  Finally, Castiel ran out of patience and firmly held the human beneath the surface of the cleansing fluid until Dean’s struggles grew weak and he was flailing blindly in search of oxygen.  When he finally pulled Dean up and let him breathe, Dean’s lips were bluish.  He coughed and choked, gagged a little, and finally regained his breath.  Then he was glaring up at Castiel.  “You should have just drowned me!”

            “I could,” Castiel warned.  “Next time, I can hold you under until you drown, and then bring you back when I’m finished.  Is that what you want, Dean?  For me to drown you every time we come to the bath?  Is that what it will take for you not to try to run away?”

            Dean shuddered and looked down.  “Bring me back...?  I can’t even die to get away from you!”

            Castiel nodded.  “You’re mine, Dean.  Forever. And the sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”  He smiled. “Just accept it, Dean.  You belong to me, and I’ll take very good care of you?”

            “The way you took care of me today, Cas? Beating me until I’m barely even conscious?  Branding your name onto my soul?!”

            “Dean, I don’t want to beat you.  I never did,” Castiel explained patiently.  “But you simply must learn your place.  Be good, obey me, and I will never raise a hand to you again.”

            “That mean you’ll leave my soul alone, too?”

            “No, my treasure.  It will take time before my mark is permanently etched onto your soul. I’ll have to mark you every few days at first...”

            “You’re going to shove your hand into my soul every few days?!”

            “It won’t be for long.  Soon, it will be permanent.”  He rubbed at Dean’s hair, trying to calm the seething human.  Dean refused to look at him.  Well, that was alright.  He turned around.  “Clean the base of my wings, my treasure.  You do a very good job of it.”

            “Go fuck yourself!”

            “Dean!  Now!”

            Nothing happened, and Castiel sighed, getting ready to carry out his threat to drown Dean.  But then he felt the familiar, pleasing sensation of Dean’s tiny hands combing through the feathers at the base of his wings and nodded, pleased. His treasure was learning. Castiel had no doubt they had a long, uphill battle, but Dean was learning.  He’d obeyed.  That was a start.  Acceptance, love, those were things that would come later.  For now, Castiel suspected even Dean’s obedience would be a hard-fought battle.

            Sure enough, his treasure tried to resist being carried back to the nest.  He tried to refuse being fed.  Castiel had to tie Dean’s hands behind his back, pin the human between his legs and pry Dean’s jaws apart.  The whole time, Dean was squirming and fighting and kicking and then refusing to chew and swallow until Castiel threatened to grind the food and pour it down his throat with a tube.  Only then would he let himself be fed, under protest and as little as Castiel would let him get away with.  Then he’d fought even more when Castiel finished and insisted Dean clean off his fingers.  “Why are you so difficult about this?” he wondered aloud as Dean struggled and clamped his jaws on the fingers that were forced into his mouth.  “You saw Anna’s human clean off her fingers, and I see you lick your lips after I feed you!  Now stop this foolishness!  Here.”

            He already had two fingers in Dean’s mouth, Dean still biting down as hard as he could.  Of course it did an angel no harm.  But with his fingers already in Dean’s mouth, it was easy enough.  Cas gently wiped the pads of his fingers on Dean’s velvety tongue, frowning when Dean gagged and thrashed wildly.  He frowned more when he saw the river of tears running down his treasure’s face from his tightly-clenched eyes.  “There, you’ve done it.  It’s over! And it wasn’t bad at all!  Perhaps next time, you won’t fight so much!”  He pulled his fingers from Dean’s mouth.

            Dean sagged.  As soon as he was untied, he collapsed into the center of the nest, curled in with his arms wrapped around himself.  He sobbed a few times, but then went quiet.  Tears continued to run unchecked down his cheeks for some time.

            At least, when Castiel climbed into the nest and pulled his treasure close, Dean didn’t struggle much. Mostly he just cried again.  And then that, too, stopped.


	8. Depression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean spirals into despair, and Castiel isn't sure what to do

            “No more, please, stop!” Dean was screaming. “It hurts, get out of me, stop!”

            “It’s almost over,” Castiel soothed.  “Relax, don’t fight.”

            Dean only howled in pain, clawing at Castiel’s wrist as the angel Grace marked his soul again.  At least now that he’d done it a few times, Castiel was experienced enough to do a good job of it.  The best part was that now Dean’s soul had been marked, Castiel had a better sense of the human.  He always had a vague sense of where Dean was.  That was comforting.  Even if his treasure somehow managed to run away again, Castiel believed he’d be able to find him.

            Finished, Castiel drew his hand out of Dean’s chest. His treasure whimpered, glassy eyed. He crawled away, moving into a corner of the nest.  Then he rolled onto his side and curled into a ball.

            Dean had largely stopped fighting his day to day routine now.  Castiel had thought it would be better when his treasure reached that point, but somehow, it was worse.  Dean no longer tried to hit or kick or bite.  But now he’d gone completely defensive.  His treasure cringed away from Castiel’s touch, kept as far away from the angel at all times as he could.  He even resisted being hugged or kissed or cuddled, becoming stiff and resentful when he was picked up and held.  But the worst came when Castiel tried to feed him.

            It had started at breakfast the day after the disastrous victory parade.

            “Please!” Dean cried the instant he saw the table appear. “I’ll let you feed me, just please don’t make me lick your fingers!”

            “Dean?  Enough.” Castiel picked up his treasure and began to feed him.

            Dean didn’t fight being fed.  Once again, he only ate the minimum that Castiel would allow. But when Castiel finished and tapped his fingers against Dean’s lips, Dean was once more struggling with all his might to get away.  Once again, Castiel had to hold him down and force his fingers into Dean’s mouth. “Why do you fight this so much?” he wondered as he rubbed his fingers against Dean’s tongue.  “It doesn’t harm you in any way!  Just obey me, and look at how quickly it’s over!”

            Dean’s answer was to struggle free as soon as he could, take two steps away, stick his own finger down his throat, and vomit up everything Castiel had just fed him.

            No, this would never do.

            Castiel forced Dean to clean up the mess.  Then he fed his treasure again, and once again forced Dean to clean his fingers.  This time, he didn’t let Dean go.  He held his treasure, keeping his arms pinned so Dean couldn’t stick his finger down his throat again.  That revived some of the fight in Dean.  He squirmed and kicked and yelled.  “Let go of me!”

            “Will you make yourself throw up again?”

            “Damn right!”

            “Then no.”

            “You son of a bitch!”  Dean kicked furiously.  “How would you like it if some giant winged douchebag stuck his fingers in your mouth and rubbed them off on your tongue?!  Just think about how that would make you feel!”

            “If you would just clean them normally, I wouldn’t have to shove them in your mouth!”

            “I’m not licking your fucking fingers!”

            Castiel sighed.  “So disobedient!”

            “You gonna beat the shit out of me again?”  It was a challenge, but the tremor in Dean’s voice betrayed his fear.

            Castiel sighed again.  “I probably should have after you made yourself throw up like that. You deserved a beating for being so disobedient, and you deserve one now for fighting like this!  But I don’t want to beat you, Dean.”

             “Then let me go!  Let go!”

            Castiel held him tighter and gently kissed the top of his treasure’s head.  “How can something so beautiful be so disobedient?”

            Dean strained.  “Let go of me!  Why can’t you understand that I don’t want to be your treasure?!”

            “I do understand that, Dean, but it doesn’t matter.”  He touched the claiming band.  “You belong to me.”

            “No, I don’t!”  Dean squirmed frantically.  “I don’t care how many times you beat me, you don’t own me!  You can’t keep me, and I will never stop trying to get away from you! You know, Cas, I’m fairly certain there are humans out there who would love to be an angel’s pet.  Take one of them and let me go!”

            “I don’t want one of them.  I’ve chosen you.”

            “And I get no choice at all?!”

            “Not in this, no.  That was a silly question.  I won the battle, Dean, not you.  Therefore, I am the one who gets to choose a treasure!”

            Dean reacted badly to that answer.  He snarled and thrashed, trying with all his might to get out of Castiel’s arms.  “Get off of me!  Why won’t you just let me go?!  Please, let me go home!”

            “You are home.”  Castiel gently kissed Dean’s head, ignoring his continued screams and struggles, and kept holding him until Dean finally quieted.  Then Castiel praised Dean, kissed him again, and drew his treasure into his nest for a nap.  Dean didn’t resist.  Anna was wise.  His treasure had such promise, but it would take time, and a firm hand.  Dean wasn’t stupid.  He would learn.  He’d come to understand that he had no choice, that Castiel would keep his treasure with or without Dean’s cooperation.

            Unfortunately, despite this small victory, his treasure continued to resist.  It was an ongoing battle of wills.  Dean tried to insist that Castiel leave the door to the restroom open.  When Castiel refused, Dean stomped over and intentionally urinated right into the nest, announcing that if Castiel was going to treat him like an animal, he’d act like one.  That had earned him another beating.  The beating seemed to curb his treasure’s behavior for a bit, with Dean cleaning up the mess and not resisting being held on Castiel’s lap while the angel studied battle plans.  Castiel had healed him as a reward.  But when it came time to feed him again, his treasure tried to dictate what he wanted to eat, insisting on another piece of fruit instead of the one Castiel had already chosen to feed him.  Castiel had to force Dean to eat what he’d selected.  Then the same battle took place again over Dean cleaning Castiel’s fingers.  Again, Castiel had to force him.  At least this time Dean didn’t make himself vomit.

            But the light seemed to go out of his treasure’s eyes a little more each time he lost another battle of wills.  In a few days, Dean stopped fighting, stopped trying to make his own choices, and only refused to open his mouth to clean Castiel’s fingers.  And by the end of the week, while he wouldn’t open his mouth, he no longer clenched his jaws. He still wasn’t willing, but it was now a simple matter for Castiel to force his fingers into Dean’s mouth.  The trade-off was that Dean’s eyes were now nearly as dull as those of Anna’s Charlie.  Dean stopped talking.  He spent most of his time sleeping.  He wouldn’t return any of Castiel’s affections.  He wasn’t even trying to get away anymore.  Castiel had tried intentionally keeping his back to his treasure once at the bath, waiting to see if Dean would try to run away.  But Dean hadn’t moved.  It troubled Castiel.  The spirit, the fire in Dean’s eyes was a big part of why Castiel had chosen Dean as his treasure in the first place.  Without it, Dean was still beautiful, but it was a cold, empty beauty.  He missed his treasure’s snark and sass.

            He’d taken Dean and gone to speak with Anna, but Anna was very unhelpful.  “Keep working with him like you’ve been, Castiel,” she’d advised.  “Before long, he’ll be obedient, and then he’ll learn to be affectionate again.  My Charlie did!”

            “She offers you affection?”

            “Of course she does!  Charlie, come give me a hug!”

            Charlie moved in her usual fashion, her eyes dull as she hugged Anna.  Anna smiled. “See?  Any time I ask, I can have the affection of my treasure.”

            “Any time you ask.”  That wasn’t at all what Castiel wanted from his treasure.

            Anna, though, seemed oblivious.  “Be strict, and be consistent.  Humans need to know where their boundaries lie.  But don’t get complacent.  Your treasure seems well behaved at the moment, but I’m betting he’s still not completely broken yet.”

            Castiel hoped so.  He’d hoped seeing Charlie again would return a bit of Dean’s fire. But Dean had only stared sadly at the other human, not even trying to interact.  When Castiel picked him up again, Dean barely seemed to notice.

            Now the only time Dean really responded to him at all was when Castiel Grace marked him.  Now here Dean was, once more curled in a corner facing away from him.

            Still, Castiel was hopeful that things would be different today.  He’d been called from his disgrace to fight in another battle.  Dean needed to be left alone again.  Castiel took his usual care, making sure Dean had everything he might need.  He’d reluctantly kissed his treasure goodbye, leaving him sitting in the pile of cushions in the middle of his nest while Castiel went to fight.

            Castiel had something to prove.  Knowing this, Anna had placed him in the center of the battle lines, where the fighting was hardest.  He’d taken on an angel that he’d known was more powerful than he was. It didn’t matter.  Castiel fought viciously and defeated the other angel anyway. It had cost him.  Castiel had a deep, painful wound in his side.  Then he’d had to watch, standing at attention, bearing the humiliation of not being allowed to choose a victory treasure for himself as the final part of his punishment.

            At least Anna was merciful.  She’d quickly come to him, looking over the bounty of items that had been affected by Castiel’s difficult fight.  There was a human among the wreckage, a female child who cried and screamed and clutched her obviously-broken arm to herself.  Knowing the archangel’s preferences, Anna overlooked her, selecting a metal shelf with intricate scrollwork and banding it for Raphael.  Once she did this, she nodded and smiled at Castiel.  Castiel’s punishment was over.  He sighed in relief, saluted her.  Then, as soon as her back was turned, Castiel reached down and quickly healed the child before joining the rest of his unit to admire their new treasures. His wound generated a lot of concern, but Castiel didn’t care.  He felt very good about what he’d done.  Not only was his punishment at an end, but he believed Dean would be glad to hear he’d healed a human child.  Maybe that would bring some of the life back to his treasure’s eyes?

            Then the news came through the ranks, and Castiel rejoiced with his fellow angels.  His treasure would surely be happy now!

            Castiel had to exercise all of his discipline to keep in formation and not race ahead, eager to get back to his treasure.  Anna pulled him aside for a moment, further delaying his return to give him advice and a gift.  But when he finally reached his nest and burst through the door, Dean was still sitting in the exact same position he’d been in when Castiel had left, hours ago.  None of the fruit or the water had been touched.  Dean’s face remained as blank and impassive as it had been.  There was no sign his treasure had moved at all. Frowning, Castiel gathered him up. “My treasure?  I’ve returned.  Did you miss me?”

            No response.  Dean was stiff in his arms, even as he made no effort to resist Castiel’s handling of him.

            Castiel’s frown deepened.  He kissed Dean a few times, held him close.  Then he took one of Dean’s tiny hands and placed it over the biggest rend in his armor, the one on his side.  “I fought hard,” he explained.  “An angel more powerful than myself.  By rights, I should have been destroyed.  But I won.”

            No response.

            “Dean, I could have been destroyed!  Don’t you care?”  His treasure’s continued silence hurt worse than his wound.  Castiel put Dean on his feet, pulled off his armor. Wincing, he pulled his tunic aside. The wound was deep, painful.  He took Dean’s hand and put it over his wound. “I’m injured.  Doesn’t that matter to you?  My dearest treasure, I would love you if you’d allow me!  Don’t you care anything for me at all?”

            Now Dean looked.  His eyes widened at the sight of the injury.  He frowned, poked a bit at it, and flinched back when the angel hissed in pain.  “Can’t you heal it?”

            Dean’s voice was somewhat raspy.  He hadn’t spoken or made a sound in days beyond screaming when he was Grace marked.  But the sound of his voice warmed Castiel’s heart.  “I can, yes, but this wound was caused by an angelic weapon.  I can’t heal it quickly like I can your wounds.  I’ll need rest.”

            “So rest.”  Dean turned away.

            “I would rest better with my treasure?”

            “Lucky for you, one of your treasures is an actual teddy bear!”

            Castiel sighed.  It was good to hear his treasure speaking again.  Even Dean’s snark had made an appearance, but why must it be constant conflict?  He tried another tactic.  “I healed a human today, Dean.  A little girl.  She’d been injured during our fight.”

            Dean looked back at him again, his expression unreadable.  “Thank you for that.  Of course, if you giant flying dicks hadn’t been fighting in the first place, she probably wouldn’t have gotten hurt, would she?  But at least you didn’t drag her off and make her your lap pet like you did me!”

            Dean was turning away once more, but Castiel scooped him up, drew him in.  Alright. Time to play his final card.  “Dean, that section is back under Raphael’s control. The battle today was decisive, and the angels in that territory are ready to surrender again.  It’s the territory that was in dispute again after you disrupted the parade, Dean.  Where your brother is.”

            That got his treasure’s complete attention.  “Sammy will be safe, then?  No more fighting around him?”

            “No.  Not after the victory parade.”  Castiel smiled, gently stroked Dean’s hair.  “We’ve got another chance!  The parade will cement Raphael’s claim to the territory, bring us one step closer to ending the war altogether.  And your brother will be out of danger!”

            And now his treasure smiled.  Dean was so beautiful.  Castiel laughed, drew him closer, and covered the little smiling face with kisses.  “This time, we’ll do this parade right, my treasure!  We’ll present a show of force that the conquered angels will be unable to deny!  And you will be my pride.  This time, I’ll make sure to keep you safe!”

            His treasure’s smile faded.  “What does that mean?” he asked when Castiel put him down. “What do you mean you’ll make sure to keep me safe?  What are you going to do to me?”  He flinched. “You’re tying me up again, aren’t you?”

            “A bit more than that, my treasure.”  He took a deep breath, knowing that his treasure wouldn’t care for this.  “Anna advised me that I needed to make absolutely certain you couldn’t get away this time.  To answer your question, yes, your hands will be bound.  But to ensure your safety...?”  He reached into a bag, drawing out the item Anna had given him.

            It was a chain, a silver chain with a large, heavy manacle on the end.  Dean drew back from it, his heart pounding.  At first, he was confused.  The manacle was large enough to fit on Cas’s wrist, but was way too big for Dean’s.  Then Cas raised the manacle, holding it much too high for Dean’s wrists, and understanding hit.  The manacle was designed to go around his neck, not his wrist.  It was a heavy metal collar, attached to a chain.  Dean would be led through this parade like a dog on a leash.

            Immediately, everything in Dean wanted to scream in protest, to fight and rage and struggle.  But then he remembered what Cas had said, about how Dean’s disruption of the parade had put the territory back in dispute, put his brother in more danger because the fighting continued that would have otherwise ended. Everything that had happened since then was on Dean.  And the little girl he’d accused Cas of hurting in the first place was among them. Dean clenched his fists.  Then he bowed his head in submission.  “Alright,” he whispered.

            He heard the angel suck in his breath, obviously surprised.  And then the chain was crashing to the floor, released by the giant grabbing hands that seized Dean and crushed him to the angel’s chest.  “So good!  So good for me, Dean!  You’re the perfect treasure!  I’ll be the proudest angel in the parade with you at my side, wearing my claiming band. And don’t worry!  I’ll make certain the band is visible, even with the collar. Everyone will know you belong to me, my beautiful, perfect, wonderful, obedient little treasure!”

            More kisses.  More cuddles.  Dean was fed, fingers shoved into his mouth and wiped on his tongue afterwards.  He was permitted to access the restroom.  He was taken to the bath.  And then he was cuddled against the massive chest once more as the angel finally settled in for a healing sleep.  Dean was given no choice in any of it.  All he could do was suffer through it passively.  Still, he couldn’t understand it.  The wound looked ugly, deep.  Cas had to have been in some serious pain.  But the angel refused to rest until Dean had been properly cared for. In spite of himself, Dean couldn’t help but be touched about that.  What would happen to him if Cas died in battle?  Dean didn’t want to think about that.  The image of himself alone and trapped in the nest to slowly die was bad enough.  What was this pang that went through him at the thought of losing the stupid kidnapping angel?

            Think about something else.  Tomorrow he’d be paraded through the streets on Earth on the end of a chain.  That was the unavoidable reality of his situation.  What if Sammy was there?  What if Sammy had been injured, or even killed in the fighting that had gone on because of Dean’s actions?  No.  He couldn’t think that way.  Sammy was alive.  And for Sammy, Dean would pay any price.  His brother’s safety was worth more than Dean’s dignity.  Dean would tolerate the humiliation, the shame, the degradation, if it meant his little brother would be safe.

            For Sammy.


	9. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel finally explains the real meaning behind treasures in a victory parade

            Castiel fed his treasure only a little that morning, mindful of how far Dean would have to walk.  Dean still wouldn’t willingly open his mouth to clean Castiel’s fingers, but the human seemed more alert, more, well, alive, than he’d been in days. His little treasure seemed restless, pacing around in the nest, unable to hold still.  Good.  He’d need that energy for the long parade. 

            Castiel took Dean to the crowded baths, frowning at any angel who came too close and might jostle his treasure as Dean dutifully scrubbed his wings.  Then he took extra care cleaning Dean.  He cleaned his treasure’s teeth, trimmed his hair and shaved his face.  He gave Dean an extra rinsing before dressing him in a fine tunic.  Back in his nest, he decorated his treasure with a new green sash.  Castiel had on his parade tunic, bearing its marks of rank, with his weapons ready on his belt.  That would show his rank and esteem.  His treasure would show his prowess in battle.  “You are a wonderful treasure, Dean,” he explained as he carefully combed Dean’s hair.  “But I don’t know that you understand just how important you really are.  Treasures are a vital part of angelic warfare, in that their presence is a show of strength.”

            “You’ve got a lot of them.”  Dean’s eyes were roving over the shelves, noting the abundance of silver-banded items.  He’d already realized that much of what he’d originally written off as junk was, on closer look, fairly rare and usually expensive. Even the stupid teddy bear was actually a pricey, custom high-end toy.

            “I keep the best and most recent of my treasures here with me in my nest,” Castiel explained.  “I have been in many, many battles, but it’s been centuries since the last war.  While wars are relatively rare, each hard-fought battle in a war grants me the right to take a treasure.  And these?” He gestured, and a section of wall opened, revealing a long hall lined with shelves Dean had never seen before. “These are my treasures of lesser value, or from wars past.  I store them here.”

            “You gonna store me in there when this is over?” Dean couldn’t help but ask the question as he stared, wide-eyed, at the items that covered the floor-to-ceiling shelves in the long hall.  He’d known Cas was a good fighter, but damn!

            Castiel chuckled, amused by his treasure’s silly question.  “Dean, even if you weren’t alive and in need of care, I already told you that I keep the best of my treasures here in my nest.  And you, my beautiful little treasure, are the very best I have!”  He closed the wall with another wave, returning the nest to its original condition.  He smiled as Dean blinked at the wall.  Then he touched his claiming band, returning Dean’s attention to himself.  “Every angel who looks on you wearing my claiming band will know of my skill in battle.  In a victory parade, an angel with a treasure is an angel with power. And the more rare, beautiful, and valuable that treasure is, the greater the respect for the angel.  A human is a rare treasure because you are all completely unique.  No two humans are exactly alike.  You’re undeniably beautiful, Dean, which is the second criteria.  And your value as my companion is beyond compare.  While I have you, wearing my claiming band, I am seen as an angel of great power, a force on the battlefield and a fighter to be reckoned with.  But without you, I appear to be weak, and an easy target.”

            “That’s why everyone lost their shit when I ran away,” Dean grumbled, staring at the floor.

            “Yes.”  Castiel was already kneeling down to ready his treasure.  Now he put his hands on Dean’s shoulders.  “Dean, an angel in a victory parade without a treasure is a weak link.  It reflects badly not just on me, but on every angel ranking above me, up to and including Raphael himself.  That is why angels with poor treasures are placed in the back ranks, and angels without treasures are not permitted in the parade at all.  When I lost you, I was forced to step out of the parade.  And that was more humiliating than anything I’d ever faced.”

            “And that’s why that bastard Raphael hit you?” Dean still seemed upset about that.

            “Yes.”

            “And the other angels, the ones you guys beat? They decided not to play nice?”

            “There is a big distinction between the angels in Heaven and those on Earth,” Castiel explained.  “Those of us in Heaven are of higher esteem, the leadership and enforcers. We have many low-level angels who do the manual and day to day tasks, but fighters like myself serve as soldiers and leaders.  The angels on Earth are the guardians.”

            “Those guys were guardian angels?  I thought they were supposed to protect people!”

            “You misunderstand.  Guardian angels do not guard humans.  They’re the guardians of soul territory, protecting Heaven’s interests on Earth, a bit like your police.”

            “So they live in the muck with the humans, huh?” Dean grumbled.  “No wonder they’re so cranky.”

            “Guardians have been known to be unfriendly at the best of times,” Castiel admitted.  “But this war actually started among their ranks.  A group of guardians battled back some demons and drove them over a boundary. Since they’d now opened up the new territory, they saw fit to claim it for their faction.  The guardians there protested, fighting broke out, and that’s what eventually resulted in the war.  In a way, it’s the guardians who have to be made to understand why their leaders choose to stop fighting.  That’s why the parade on Earth is actually more important than the portion in Heaven. When the guardians mocked me for the loss of my treasure, their leaders saw it, saw that they would keep fighting. And that is why, when the parade reached its final destination, all of the treasures that had been offered to Raphael by their leaders in acknowledgement of their defeat had been reclaimed.  And the fighting has continued ever since.”

            Dean seemed fascinated by the floor.  “I’m sorry, Cas.  I guess I basically pantsed you right in front of those other angels, didn’t I?  No wonder they were laughing!  I’m surprised they even brought me back to you!”

            “They could have killed you, Dean.”  He nodded, seeing his treasure look up.  “Destroying you would be the ultimate insult to me. But that would have been a direct challenge, with all of Raphael’s army present.  That’s likely why they found it far more entertaining to humiliate me further by bringing my treasure back to me.  When they did that, it demonstrated that I couldn’t keep you, couldn’t even find you on my own, and only made me look weaker.  I don’t blame Raphael at all for striking me.”

            Dean didn’t know what to say.  Cas had every right to be angry, but instead, he was speaking softly.  He was taking the time to explain to Dean so he could understand.  If he’d only done that before the parade!

            “I am a skillful fighter, Dean, and my treasures, especially you?”  He again touched the silver band around Dean’s neck.  “Show this.  Raphael came to my nest not for the pleasure of my company, but to evaluate me.  The war has been a long one.  We have suffered some heavy losses.  The archangel is looking for worthy angels to promote.  He could have spoken to me about battle strategies anywhere.  But he came here, to my nest, specifically to evaluate my treasures.”

            “Sorry I gave him a bad impression.”

            Cas smiled.  “Oh no, Dean!  Raphael is known to not be fond of humans, but personal preference plays no part in evaluating a treasure.  He was judging you based only on those three criteria I mentioned.  And you were perfect!  He came to my nest and saw that you are beautiful and one of a kind.  And then he saw my treasure showing me affection, which proved your value.  My archangel saw for himself that my treasure is of great worth!  He actually said that he thought he understood now why angels like me and Anna value humans!”

            Dean stiffened.  “Does that mean more angels are going to take humans?”

            “Possibly.”  Castiel got up, missing the look on Dean’s face as he examined the fit of his treasure’s outfit.  He nodded in approval.  Then he looked hard at Dean, serious again.  “Perhaps now that you understand just how valuable you are, you also understand why what you did at the last parade was unacceptable, and why I punished you so severely?”

            Dean looked away.  “Yeah.  I made everyone look bad.  Sorry, Cas, I wasn’t trying to get you into trouble.  I just wanted to go home!  But I get it now.  I won’t run away from a parade again.”  And don’t you ever knock me around like that again, you son of a bitch!  Two beatings was quite enough.  Dean wouldn’t stand for a third.

            His treasure was sorry.  Dean had learned his lesson.  It was a big step.  Castiel smiled at Dean and went back to his own preparations.  He tied a deep blue sash around his waist, attempted unsuccessfully to tame his hair, and gave up.  That was usually a waste of time anyway.  As soon as the dark locks were combed down, they popped back up.  No matter.  No angel would be judging him today on his hair.  Today was about discipline, rank, and treasure.  Those were the only criteria he would be judged on. He had every intention at excelling in all three.

            Castiel looked over himself and Dean. Perfect.  Now for the hard part.  Dean, he noticed, seemed to cooperate much more if he understood why he was being asked to do something.  Maybe that was a tactic he could build on?  It would certainly be easier than physically forcing his treasure! Worth a try.  Castiel picked up a length of rope and approached his treasure. “Dean?” he began, trying to choose his words.

            Dean flinched, took a step back, and clenched his fists.  Then his shoulders drooped, his hands relaxed, and his eyes fixed on the floor. “Front or back?”

            “Huh?”

            Dean rolled his eyes.  “Are you tying me up with my hands in the front or back of me?”

            Castiel blinked.  “Oh!  Um...” Dean’s acceptance had caught him completely by surprise.  It took a moment for his mind to process it.  “Back.”

            To his astonishment, Dean immediately turned and crossed his wrists in the small of his back.  He stood obediently still, letting Castiel tie him.  Remarkable!  Castiel beamed with pride.  He carefully knotted the ropes around his treasure’s wrists, making sure his circulation would be unimpaired while his hands stayed secure.  When he finished, Dean’s hands curled once more into fists.  But he didn’t struggle.  Castiel beamed.  He knew how much Dean disliked having his hands confined, and yet he’d allowed this and still wasn’t struggling!  “So good, Dean!  So obedient!”

            Dean didn’t reply.  When he turned around again, his face was pale and he was shaking. His eyes were wide and moist as he watched Castiel pick up the chain.  “Please!  I won’t run away!  Please, don’t do this to me?”

            “It’s a direct order, Dean,” Castiel explained patiently.  “I know you don’t want it.  But I have no choice.  I must keep you safe and secure on this parade.”

            Dean’s shoulders drooped once more.  He flinched when Castiel moved forward with the opened collar.  But once again, he didn’t struggle.  He simply closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, his muscles stiff as though expecting pain.  Castiel had no intention of hurting his treasure.  He touched Dean’s chin, and his treasure immediately lifted it, allowing access to his throat.  So obedient! Castiel smiled.  He carefully closed the heavy collar around his treasure’s neck, making sure not to pinch Dean’s short hair or his skin.  It fit snugly, and locked securely, responding only to Castiel’s Grace.  Not even another angel would be able to take it off now.  Excellent. Once it was secured, he tugged on Dean’s claiming band, making it slightly larger so that it hung just in the dip at the top of Dean’s breastbone.  Now it was loose enough that it would be clearly visible beneath the collar, but still tight enough that his treasure wouldn’t be able to remove it. Every angel would see who owned this wonderful treasure.  And this time, Dean wouldn’t be able to run away.  Perfect.

            It took all of Dean’s self-control to let this happen, let himself be bound and chained like this.  The collar was snug around his neck, the heavy chain dragging on him.  The ropes pinched his wrists when he tried to move them.  It was awful, humiliating, and degrading.  And now he’d be marched through the streets like this?  Dean fought to control his emotions.  All he wanted to do was struggle, try to get his hands free and the horrible collar off of his neck.  He desperately wanted this to stop, for a way to get out of this parade completely even if it meant he’d be locked in the nest alone.  But it had to happen.  For Sammy, he told himself.  You can do this for Sammy.

            Cas, of course, was delighted and heaped praises on Dean.  The stupid angel probably believed that Dean had some kind of breakthrough, no doubt one that further reinforced Cas’s delusion that he could keep Dean, that Dean would willingly remain with his giant kidnapper.  Enjoy it while you can, motherfucker.  After this, you will never put another chain around my neck again!

            Cas picked him up headed out.  Already they were flying.  Dean cursed the fact that his hands were tied behind him this time, that he couldn’t hold on and had to trust Cas wouldn’t drop him.  He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, but couldn’t escape the knowledge that he was dangling from Cas’s arm high above the ground. Today was going to suck in so many ways. Dean breathed a sigh of relief when Cas finally put him down.  He opened his eyes, and stared right into the blank face of Charlie.  That “direct order” Cas mentioned must have gone for every human because she, too, was chained by the neck, her hands tied behind her back.  Charlie didn’t react to it any more than she’d reacted to anything else.  The red haired bitch angel that owned her was looking at Dean now.  She tugged experimentally on the collar around Dean’s neck.  Then she turned him around to inspect the ropes on his wrists. Apparently, she wasn’t taking any chances that Dean would escape.  No problem. Dean wouldn’t be going anywhere.  Chained and tied, he couldn’t escape if he wanted to, but he didn’t want to.  Not this time.  This parade was too important to Sammy’s safety.  Dean had no intention of fucking things up.

            Apparently, Anna was satisfied.  She smiled at Cas and patted his shoulder as they chatted in Angelspeak.  Dean looked at Charlie and swallowed hard.  Charlie didn’t deserve this level of degradation.  She’d been chained before, but the manacle on her wrist wasn’t nearly as bad as this.  Guilt made Dean’s stomach churn.  This was his fault.  Because of his actions, every human in this parade was securely confined.  Was this how it would be for every parade from now on? If that was the case, Dean’s chances of escape had just plummeted.

            No time to think about that now.  Cas was picking him up again, and they were moving into position.  The angel put him back down, fussed a bit with his claiming band, and got a good grip on Dean’s chain, wrapping it around his right fist with the free links on the end gathered into a loop in his left hand. Then he went into stiff attention, proud and tall with his wings back like the other angels.  It was time for the parade to begin.


	10. Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel proudly shows off his treasure in a victory parade Dean can only endure

            Dean’s shoulders soon protested his hands being caught behind his back.  The heavy chain dragged at his neck.  He found himself twisting his neck frequently, trying to readjust the weight of it.  Cas was no help at all.  The angel kept Dean on a short length of chain, only about three feet of it trailing from his hand to the collar around Dean’s neck.  It didn’t leave a lot of margin for error. If Dean didn’t pay close attention, the chain jerked on his neck, pulling him along after Cas.  And of course the stupid rules that had played to his advantage when he’d tried to escape were still in effect.  No matter how many times Dean got yanked, Cas couldn’t move, couldn’t adjust the length of the chain, and couldn’t look down at Dean. They marched at a quick pace, moving again past the defeated, angry enemy angels in their section of Heaven. Dean swallowed hard, seeing their eyes pass appraisingly over him, seeing the glares as they watched the victors march by.  Then the chain jerked on his neck again as the parade route turned and Dean was forced to pay attention to Cas again.

            For the first time, it was a relief when Cas picked him up to fly him to the next portion of the parade.  Dean sighed, resting his head as much as he could against the angel’s shoulder to relieve his aching neck.  “Please stop yanking on me?  I need a bit more slack when we start marching again, alright?  You’re hurting me!”

            Cas frowned.  He did a quick inspection of Dean’s neck mid-fight, something that did nothing to relieve Dean’s fear of being dropped, and his frown deepened. “Your neck is very red.  The collar is irritating your skin.  Maybe I should have you wear the chain in the nest for a bit before our next parade?  If you just have it on for a day or so before...”

            Wear the chain in the nest?  Oh, hell no!  “No, no! Please don’t do that.  I’ll be fine, just give me a little more slack. I just need a bit more warning before I get yanked!”

            At least Cas was concerned enough to want to help. “Of course.”  Cas tightened his grip on Dean, which for once actually made Dean feel more secure, and kissed him.  “You’re being so good for me, my treasure, so obedient!  I’m very proud of you, Dean.”

            Yeah yeah, whatever.  Let’s just get this over with.

            Marching on Earth was the worst.  Cas gave him another foot or so of chain to work with, which meant Dean wasn’t getting yanked quite as much.  But now, for the first time, Dean could see other humans, regular humans.  They stood back behind the lines of defeated angels, watching the parade.  Worse, they could see him.  They were staring, pointing at him, whispering as Dean was led past them on the end of a chain, his hands tied behind his back.  His cheeks flamed.  Bad enough they were seeing him humiliated like this.  Did they also know that he’d been responsible for the continued fighting?  Maybe. Dean had figured humans were around the last time, but at the time, he’d been more concerned with the angels. Everyone knew about the angel parades, though.  They were rare, but they were a big deal for obvious reasons.  He’d never heard about the real reason for them, the marking of the end of hostilities.  But people weren’t nearly as stupid as the giant feathered dicks seemed to believe they were.  Someone had probably figured out what the parades were for.  And that meant it was entirely possible that they’d also figured out just who it was that had fucked up the last one, resulting in continued fighting.

            Dean’s cheeks flamed even more.  He ducked his head, fixing his gaze on the heels of the angel ahead of them and simply walked.  He had no idea just how long the parade route was.  He hadn’t reached the end last time.  Already, they’d marched far beyond the point where he’d escaped, and it was still going on.  His feet were getting sore, not used to so much walking.  The parade dragged on and on.  Please, let it be over soon!

            Because he’d been walking with his head down, Dean had no idea where he was.  That was why the sound of someone screaming his name froze him in his tracks, resulting in the hardest jerk to his chain yet.  Dean stumbled forward, nearly fell, his eyes frantically searching the crowd.

            “Dean!  DEAN!”

            Sammy.  Dean finally spotted him, back behind the line of enemy angels.  His little brother was fighting, trying to pull free.  Their father had a tight grip on one of Sam’s arms, their friend Bobby had the other.  Both men were staring at Dean in shock, watching as he was led past them. The parade was moving down the main street of their little town.  Cas had been right.  Sammy had been right in the middle of the fighting after all!  Now Sammy was pale and horrified, straining to reach Dean and screaming his name.

            “Sam!”  Dean forgot everything else.  He strained, pulling against the chain, struggling to free his hands.  The collar dug into his neck, forcing him to keep going, dragging him away from his brother.  He fought to try to turn, to see his brother.  “Sammy!  Let me go, that’s my brother!”

            “Dean, come back!”  Sammy was sobbing, still fighting to pull free from the two men holding him.  “Let go of me!  They didn’t kill Dean, they took him!  They’ve got my brother!  He isn’t dead!  They’ve got him!  They’re taking Dean away, stop them, don’t let them take my brother!  Why won’t someone do something?!  DEAN!”

            Sammy hadn’t known he’d been taken.  His family had believed Dean was dead.  The collar was choking Dean when he tried to reach his brother, dragging him on despite all he could do.  He couldn’t even see Sam anymore.  “Sammy, he took me when he won his fight!” Dean yelled.  “He put one of those stupid silver bands on me and he took me away, and now he won’t let me go!  Damn it, Cas, stop!”

            The chain wouldn’t stop pulling him forward. Dean was dragged after Cas as the angel kept right on marching in perfect formation.  The only sign Cas even knew what was happening was a slight whitening of the angel’s knuckles as he tightened his grip on Dean’s chain. Cas wasn’t stopping.  He wouldn’t let Dean go to his brother.  And already, Sammy’s screams were fading, his brother falling farther and farther behind as the parade kept going.

            The parade!  Dean gasped, hurried to keep up, pressing himself against Cas to be sure to keep with him.  What had he done?  Had he ruined the parade again, caused even more fighting, put Sammy in danger again? It didn’t seem so.  But Dean’s heart was breaking.  Far behind him now, he could faintly hear his little brother scream his name again.  Then he couldn’t hear Sammy anymore.

            Dean wanted to fall to the ground and sob.  He wanted to give in, let despair wash over him. Instead, he focused on his anger. This, he knew, was Castiel’s fault. Cas had taken him, forced him away, and now he’d led Dean on a chain right past his little brother.  The poor kid had just been forced to watch the brother he’d idolized degraded, treated like an animal and paraded, bound, through the streets.  He’d just watched Dean get dragged away right before his eyes!  Sammy would be heartbroken, traumatized, scarred for life! And it was all the fault of the giant angel who’d kidnapped him and refused to let him go.  But if he’d fucked up and embarrassed Cas again, would Sammy even survive more fighting?  Shit.  Shit! Calm down, Winchester.  The parade wasn’t over.  No one seemed upset with Cas yet.  Maybe if he stayed close and didn’t struggle anymore, he could still pull this off?  But afterwards, they were definitely going to talk! 

            Never mind afterwards.  He needed to do something right now to try to salvage this parade.  Maybe if he kept right with Cas, made it clear he wasn’t trying to get away?  That was as good a plan as any.  Dean pressed up against Cas as close as he could and kept walking, kept following the line.  The slack he’d asked for in the chain, now unnecessary, banged annoyingly against his body as he walked.  But he’d heard Cas take a deep breath when Dean first pressed against him.  Looking up revealed nothing in the angel’s expression. Was this the right thing to do? No way to tell.  At any rate, Cas hadn’t been thrown out of the parade yet. But Dean’s anger and resentment grew with every step that took him further from his brother.

            Dean eyed the guardians along the parade route. The enemy angels they were passing now were certainly taking more interest in him.  Their eyes moved over Dean, appraising him just as they did all the other silver-banded objects the victorious angels had with them.  Maybe it just felt like they looked at him longer. It didn’t seem that his little rebellion had any real negative effect.  No one was laughing at Cas.  If anything, the defeated angels looked even more pissed off than before.  They were taking a little step backwards when Dean’s line reached them.  No idea what that was about.  Right now, Dean didn’t care.  This stupid parade just could not end soon enough!

            Castiel’s wings were back in proper position, but he had to make an effort not to let them arch proudly towards the sky.  His back was ramrod straight, his head high. He couldn’t be prouder of his treasure! Dean had gone through a bad moment, back when the other human started screaming for him from the crowd. Castiel hadn’t been free to look, but he’d immediately assumed it was Dean’s brother.  And Dean had reacted badly, screaming back and fighting against the chain.  Of course it had done nothing to disrupt the parade.  No one really cared if a human treasure misbehaved.  They were only human, after all.  Some bad behavior was to be expected.  The only thing that mattered was that Castiel was able to keep his treasure with him.  That Dean couldn’t get away.  That he’d been here, wearing Castiel’s claiming band, as proof of the angel’s strength in battle.  Dean had tested his restraints for certain.  There’d been a brief period of time when Castiel had been all too aware he’d been literally dragging his poor little treasure.  He’d have to make sure to check Dean’s neck later, heal any injuries. But Dean had surprised him.  Dean had suddenly stopped struggling and calling for his brother.  His treasure had gone back to his place at Castiel’s side.  And then his treasure was pressing up against him!  Castiel had been so shocked he’d nearly fallen out of step. Dean was walking in obedient silence, pressing his warm little shoulder tight against Castiel as though he craved the reassurance the angel could provide.  Dean was being affectionate, right in the middle of the parade!  Castiel wanted to shout, let every angel know what a wonderful, perfect, obedient, beautiful, amazing, loving little treasure he had!  But he didn’t have to.  They’d all seen it!  Dean had just literally turned his back on his old life and gone with Castiel!  His treasure had accepted his place, but Dean had taken it a step further.  He was even showing Castiel affection!

            There could be no greater demonstration of Dean’s value, and it had happened in full view of the enemy angels.  Word was spreading fast.  The defeated guardians who’d once laughed at him were now looking hard at his treasure.  They recognized the strength of the angel whose claiming band shone in the sun around Dean’s neck.  And they were showing that respect by retreating, taking a step back to allow this powerful angel more room as he passed.  Castiel was so proud!

            When the parade reached its final destination, he stood in formation at attention, waiting for final inspection.  Dean was still pressed against him.  Now he’d turned slightly towards Castiel and was leaning his head against the angel’s side, almost seeming to be trying to press himself into the angel.  His body trembled and Castiel’s heart went out to him.  His poor little treasure was frightened!  The new life he’d now accepted must be overwhelming to him. Castiel longed to hold his treasure and cover him with kisses, but no.  Discipline.  Wait. He’d have plenty of time to reward his treasure later.  And he would reward Dean!  Ideas of how he’d do that were already dancing through his head.

            Anna quickly moved down the ranks with Charlie at her side, doing the traditional inspection.  She gave Castiel a nearly imperceptible glance as she passed, indicating her approval.  And then, wonder of wonders, Raphael himself came down the line.  And the archangel, too, glanced in approval at Castiel.

            It was, without a doubt, the crowning moment of Castiel’s existence.  He’d redeemed himself fully in his archangel’s eyes.  And now he was restored to his former esteem!  He owed it all to his treasure.  Dean couldn’t have been more perfect!  Dean had submitted to Castiel and shown affection to him in full view of all the other angels, both friendly and enemy.  In Castiel’s eyes, Dean had always been the most valuable treasure in this parade.  But now, even Raphael himself acknowledged the fact.  It showed now as Anna returned, touched Castiel’s shoulder, and moved him from his place, bringing him to a new position the front of the line.  Promotion! Castiel’s skill in battle, his prowess with his blade and his knowledge of battle strategy had always been a valuable asset.  It had earned him the attention of his superiors, resulting in Raphael taking the time to visit him in his nest.  But now, his treasure had just earned him a promotion!  Stay calm, Castiel.  Don’t let your wings arch.  Don’t grab Dean and cover him with kisses.  Don’t even look down!  It wouldn’t do for a newly promoted section leader to show anything but quiet, dignified acceptance.  Take your new place in line, bow your head to acknowledge your superiors, and return to attention.  His chest ached, filled near to bursting with pride.  He could barely concentrate when Raphael took his picks from the treasures of the conquered angel’s leaders and started his victory speech.  He couldn’t keep his hands from tightening on Dean’s chain until the muscles in his arms bulged.  He couldn’t embrace and kiss his treasure as he longed to do.  This was a poor alternative, but it was all he had. Castiel couldn’t wait to get Dean back to his nest.

            Dean had no idea what was going on.  Maybe he’d messed up when he’d leaned his head into Cas? But he’d been so tired and stressed out after the long parade and seeing Sammy that he’d been shaking.  He’d only wanted to take some of the strain off of his aching neck.  But Anna had definitely given Cas a look when she’d passed by.  Then that Raphael douchebag had come down and had been way more obvious about it.  By the time Anna took Cas out of the line and stuck him up front, Dean was sure he was in seriously deep shit.  And now, here they were, at the front of Castiel’s block of angels close to Anna, right up front in full view of what was probably Raphael’s sycophants and the man himself.  Here came Raphael, picking among a pile of silver-banded junk.  He pointed imperiously at this or that, and a sycophant would snatch it up for him.  He paused before a terrified blonde kid about Sammy’s age.  The kid had his hands tied behind his back and a familiar silver band around his neck.  Another “treasure,” then.  Raphael looked down at the frightened youth, seeming lost in thought, looking between the kid and some fancy vase with another silver band on it.  And then the fucker’s finger pointed at the kid.  The kid’s legs buckled, dropping him to the ground in absolute terror, only to be dragged up again as another sycophant picked him up.  Apparently, Raphael was taking part in the new fad.  Before long, all the giant flying dicks would have pet humans!

            Dean’s heart went out to the poor kid, sobbing pitifully as he bounced over the shoulder of the sycophant carrying him. Raphael went up front, his bootlicks lined up on either side of him with his new loot.  Then he started gabbing away in angelspeak, no doubt tooting his own horn, and completely ignored the poor boy.  Bastard.  Had he, Dean, done this?  Was this somehow Dean’s fault?  Of course it was.  That was, after all, precisely why they’d been brought up here.  Dean was meant to see this.  It was an object lesson.  This is what happens when you fuck up our parade.  Message received, loud and clear.

            Dean eyed Cas.  The angel’s face was as impassive as ever while all this bullshit was going on.  It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.  If Dean hadn’t messed up, surely Cas would glance down at him, reassure him somehow!  But Cas stared straight ahead.  Not a good sign.  Then, as Dean watched, he saw the muscles tense until they bulged in the angel’s arms as he held Dean’s chain in a white-knuckled grip.  Yeah, that cinched it.  As soon as they got back to the nest, Cas would beat him again.  Dean was sure of it.  Son of a bitch.

            The knowledge that he would soon be once again beaten bloody only made his anger grow.


	11. Misunderstandings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not using their words leads to a violent confrontation

            Castiel soared through the skies of Earth.  The wind whipped away the tears that still leaked from his eyes.  Dried blood stained his hands, his tunic.  His thoughts were chaos, the word why, why, why echoing through his head.  He didn’t understand what had just happened.

            Everything had been going so well.

            As soon as they were released, Castiel had immediately picked Dean up. But he hadn’t been able to talk to his treasure.  They’d been surrounded.  So many angels had wanted to congratulate Castiel, compliment him on his promotion. Naturally, those angels were all petting his treasure.  And once more, Dean had been perfectly obedient.  Knowing Dean as he did, Castiel had been fully aware that Dean didn’t care for being carried, and disliked being petted by strange angels even more. He’d seen the way his treasure’s shoulders hunched, his fists clenched, and he’d pinched his lips tightly together. But his treasure had allowed it. He’d hung quietly from Castiel’s arm around his waist, not struggling or complaining at all during this extended time of being carried.  He hadn’t even tried to get down.  In fact, the only time Dean had made a sound was when Raphael brought over his new human treasure. 

            Raphael was awkwardly carrying the human by one of his bound arms, and the poor little thing was crying pitifully.  Castiel had been about to tell his leader the correct way to carry a human when Dean had spoken.  “Let go of his arm, you prick!  You’re hurting him!”

            “My apologies, archangel,” Castiel soothed quickly in Enochian.  “Dean feels very strongly for his fellow humans, and you are causing yours a great deal of pain with that hold.  It’s better to carry them around their bodies, rather than their limbs.  See? The way I have Dean, and Anna is carrying her Charlie?  In fact, the best way to carry them is like this.”  Castiel turned Dean to face him, with one arm under Dean’s rear to support him.

            “Ah!”  Understanding lit the archangel’s face.  He adjusted his grip on the human, who immediately sighed in relief.  “I have much to learn about the care of humans, it seems.  I only hope mine is as affectionate as yours.”

            As soon as Castiel had altered his hold, Dean had immediately wrapped his legs around Castiel and buried his face in the angel’s shoulder, breathing hard. This time, Castiel didn’t try to keep his wings from arching proudly.  Then he’d chatted a bit with his archangel.  Raphael had some concerns about a section of their borders.  It was a serious conversation, with Raphael stressing the importance of reinforcing their lines.  Castiel, thrilled that his leader was interested in his opinion, had been just as serious.  He never considered how their conversation, especially when Raphael had raised his voice in anger over a recent attack, might sound to someone who didn’t understand the language.  He’d forgotten the incident that sparked the discussion.

            Dean, it seemed, had not.  He’d stayed as he was, resting his head against Castiel’s shoulder in a gesture that could only be interpreted as affectionate.  Castiel hadn’t considered how much Dean’s neck might be aching.

            After his archangel had gone, the other section leaders had come to speak with Castiel as well, filling him in on his new responsibilities.  The weight of his promotion was heavy on his shoulders now. There was so much to do with the war effort!  That was what he’d been talking about back at his nest as he’d removed the collar he knew Dean hated, making sure to tighten his band properly around Dean’s neck again. His claiming band, marking Dean as his treasure, his pride and joy.  He hadn’t noticed the way Dean’s face had darkened, the telltale hunch of his shoulders. Castiel hadn’t realized that, after talking so long with his fellow angels, he’d still been speaking in Enochian and Dean had no idea what he’d been saying.  He hadn’t known that his serious one-sided conversation with Dean couldn’t be understood, that his resolve and anxiety about his new position could be mistaken for something else.  Castiel had been lost in his thoughts, working to untie Dean so he could pull Dean into his arms and show him how proud he was, how pleased and happy and how much he loved – yes, loved! – his wonderful treasure.  And that was why, when Dean dove for the angel blade in Castiel’s belt the instant his hands were free, Castiel was completely unprepared.

            The slash Dean made in the startled angel’s arm hurt on more than the physical level.  Shock and surprise overrode the pain.  Castiel leaped back, wings flaring defensively, and stared, stunned, at Dean. His beloved, wonderful treasure had gone completely rabid.  He slashed at Castiel again, forcing the angel to move further back.  Then he brought up the angel blade, slid it between his neck and the claiming band, and was trying to use it to saw through the band. Of course he made no headway on the band itself, but in his desperate bid to cut it off, Dean had cut deeply into the side of his jaw.  Castiel frowned, reaching towards his treasure.  “Dean, what are you...?”

            A flash as the blade sliced at him, forcing the angel to draw back quickly. “Get away from me!” Dean ordered. “Tell me how to get this fucking thing off of my neck!”

            Castiel blinked.  “Dean, I don’t understand!  What’s wrong?”

            “What’s wrong?!  The same thing that’s been wrong since you grabbed me and put this on me!”  He was jerking hard on the claiming band, his eyes wild.  “Take it off of me, and then take me back to Earth, back to my brother!  Let me go, Cas!”

            “Let you go?  No, Dean!” Castiel’s confusion was starting to give way to irritation.  He couldn’t understand why Dean had suddenly regressed so much, after all the progress he’d made.  “You belong to me!  I thought you understood that, Dean, why are you acting like this?  Give me my blade!”

            “You’ll get it when I shove it up your ass!”  The blade slashed at Castiel again.  “I won’t be your fucking treasure anymore!  I’m done!  I’m going home, and if you don’t let me go, I swear I’ll gut you, Cas!”

            “Enough!”  Dean was in shock, it seemed.  The stress of seeing his brother must have been too much for the poor human. Castiel tried another tactic. Maybe if he reminded his treasure of how good he’d been in the parade today, Dean would realize how unacceptable his behavior was now.  “Dean, today at the parade, your behavior...”

            “Are you fuckers going to start fighting over Sammy’s territory again?!”

            “No, Dean, but what you did today?  It was...”

            “Fuck you!”  The blade flashed again, this time landing a painful cut on Castiel’s extended hand. “You’re not touching me again unless it’s to take me home.  But first you’re taking this stupid fucking band off of my neck!”

            Now Castiel was starting to get angry.  “Enough!  I’m not taking off my claiming band, you’re mine!”

            “I’m not!  You’re not keeping me!  Take it off of me!  Now! NOW!”

            Dean had gone past his limit.  For weeks he’d been trapped here, the hateful band around his neck serving as the angel’s excuse for everything Cas had put him through.  He simply couldn’t take it anymore.  He had to get it off.  So perhaps he could be forgiven for lunging at the creature that towered over him, stabbing blindly with the blade in a desperate bid to force the angel to free him.

            The blade sank home, stabbing deep into Castiel’s thigh.  Light blazed, and the angel screamed.

            His treasure had just resulted in Castiel not only being restored to his former position, but promoted.  Raphael had been so impressed that he’d even selected a human treasure of his own from the offerings of the leaders of the defeated angels.  But now Dean had just physically attacked him.  Dean had injured him!  In one moment, Dean’s rating as a treasure had plummeted. Castiel couldn’t possibly take Dean on a parade after this!  And no other treasure Castiel had was near the value Dean had offered.  Castiel panicked.  He’d be demoted, be laughed at again, and what would Anna say if she knew? What would _Raphael_ say?

            No. Castiel had to do something, stop this, reclaim his treasure and restore Dean’s value.

            Dean had drawn back, ready to stab with the angel blade again.  Castiel grabbed his wrist.  He heard a snap, followed by a shriek of pain, and the weapon clattered to the floor.  Castiel kicked his blade away, well out of the human’s reach. 

            Dean kicked at him.  “Let me go! I hate you!  I HATE YOU!”

            Something in Castiel seemed to break just as surely as Dean’s wrist.  He howled, rejection and humiliation and chagrin pounding over him like an avalanche of emotion that he simply was not equipped to deal with.  Then he began the worst beating he’d given Dean to date.

            Dean tried to fight back at first.  Then he’d cowered, trying to protect himself against the blows with his free arm.  And finally, he simply went limp.  His shattered wrist was still caught in Castiel’s hand as the angel held him up. He was moaning and whimpering in pain, his battered body half-kneeling, half-hanging from Castiel’s hand. Castiel was breathing hard, emotion causing him to shake as he pulled up on Dean’s arm, lifting his treasure up into the air, bringing Dean to eye level.

            Dean screamed and clawed weakly at Castiel’s hand.  “Stop!  Please, Cas, it’s broken, it hurts, please let me down!”

            “BE SILENT!”

            His treasure gave a little cry of fear and quieted.  Dean’s free hand clung to Castiel’s arm, trying to take some of the weight off of his broken wrist.  Castiel breathed heavily, trying to regain his composure.  “Dean?” he began.  “You will never attack me again.  You will no longer try to get away or ask to be freed.  And I will never ever take off my claiming band because you belong to me!  You are my treasure, and I will keep you until the end of time!  Now say it, Dean.  Tell me that you’ll never attack me again, that you won’t try to get away, and that I own you!  Say it!”

            Dean’s tongue moistened his battered, bleeding lips.  “I...  I won’t attack you again.  Please let me down!”

            “SAY IT!”

            Dean closed his eyes.  “I’ll never attack you again,” he whispered.  “I won’t try to get away.  You...”  He swallowed hard.  “You own me.”

            Castiel breathed a sigh of relief.  He was just about to put his treasure down when Dean’s eyes suddenly snapped open, green and furious and full of defiance.  “You own me,” he repeated.  “You’ll never let me go!  You’ll beat me and force me to obey you until I’m a zombie like Charlie.  You’ll drag me around the way Raphael did that poor boy, because I’m just a status symbol to you!  I’m a thing, a trophy to show off and make yourself look good!  And if I try to fight back, you’ll beat me or tie me up or chain me like a dog and force me back into my role, and there’s nothing I can do to stop you!  You’re going to keep me like this until the end of time.  But I will hate you for as long as I live!  You’ll keep me, Cas, and you’ll mark me as yours, and in the eyes of all those other angels, you’ll own me.  But I hate you, and I will never, ever belong to you!  NEVER!”

            The hateful rejection stabbed worse than his angel blade.  With a cry, Castiel threw his treasure.  Dean hit the wall with a painful yelp and crumpled to the floor, cradling his broken wrist.  His body twitched once more and then went still.  His treasure, beaten and bloody and now broken, had passed out from the pain.

            Castiel stared at him in shock.  He’d come to his nest thinking to reward Dean.  And instead?

            What have I done?

            The angel stared down at his own hands as if they belonged to another. Blood covered them.  More blood stained the front of his tunic.  Blood pooled on the floor, spread and smeared from Dean’s struggles during the beating.  Blood smeared the wall where he’d thrown Dean.  And now a new pool of blood was forming where his broken treasure lay.

            No. Not Dean.  Not my sweet, beautiful treasure!  I couldn’t have done this!

            Castiel no longer cared about promotions or esteem or treasure.  He stared at his bloody hands and started to shake.  Did I do this?  Did I hurt the most precious thing in my life this badly?  Was this my beautiful, wonderful little Dean, lying there on the floor?

            What have I done?  What have I done?!

            That was when Castiel had turned and raced out of his nest.

            He had no idea where he was going.  It was as though he were trying to outfly his own memories, his own guilt. But no matter how fast or far he flew, the image of his once beautiful treasure lying broken and bloody on the floor haunted him.

            He had no idea where he was until it was far too late.

            “You’re Castiel, aren’t you?”

            Castiel had finally gone to ground, his emotions driving him to his knees, sobbing. Pain and remorse and self-loathing had consumed him to the point where he’d never seen the guardians approach. But one look at the symbols on their tunics, and Castiel knew he’d flown too far.

            This was enemy territory.

            Castiel got warily to his feet, his eyes on the guardians.  He was surrounded, three enemy guardians surrounding him in a loose circle, weapons already in hand as they circled him. Castiel’s hand immediately dove for his weapon, only to find it missing.  He’d left it lying back where it had fallen when he’d taken it from Dean. His weapon was back in his nest.

            He was alone, in enemy territory, facing down enemy angels.  And he was unarmed.

            Predatory grins surrounded him.  Angel blades flashed.  Castiel tucked in his wings and raised his fists, preparing for his last battle.

            After what he’d just done, maybe it was exactly what he deserved.

_Back at the nest_

            Dean slowly regained consciousness, swimming up from the darkness as if from a vast ocean.  He didn’t want to leave the darkness.  Pain was on the other side of it, aching pain from his battered body, searing pain from his broken wrist.  Cas was there, somewhere outside of the darkness.  Would the angel beat him again?  Maybe Cas would kill him?  Would he just bring Dean back, heal him back up, and beat him again, over and over, until Dean was as mindless as Charlie?

            When Dean came fully back around and the slightest movement sent pain flashing up his arm, Dean didn’t doubt it.

            He managed to get to the nest, where he picked up one of the pillows and used it to try to cradle his wrist.  The wrist was badly swollen and clearly broken, with a visible bend.  His fingers were discolored.  Dean was no doctor, but even he knew that was a bad sign.  Cas had really hurt him this time.  What if the angel wouldn’t heal him?  Would he lose the use of his hand?  Maybe that was what the monster who’d taken him wanted? Maybe this was how Cas would control him, take away the use of his limbs one by one until Dean either gave in or no longer had the ability to fight back?  Yeah.  That sounded like something a monster would do.

            Thinking of Cas as a monster brought a twinge.  Castiel, Dean had come to realize, was lonely.  All of the angels seemed lonely.  All this time, no one had ever come to visit Cas’s nest except for Raphael, and that was to evaluate Cas’s treasures.  And Cas had only ever gone to see Anna, and both times was about him. Cas had no social life at all.  He spent all his time when he wasn’t battling or bathing in this nest, reading or studying weird-looking maps or occasionally scribbling something or another.  Dean would have lost his mind long ago if Cas hadn’t gotten him something to do.  Angels didn’t seem to know how to be warm and affectionate with each other.  Little wonder then that they valued human affection so much.  And Cas really did crave Dean’s affection.  The slightest gesture from Dean, even when he wasn’t actually being affectionate but Cas thought he was, resulted in an outpouring of praise and hugs and kisses.  That was the angel that Dean had come to know.  But he couldn’t reconcile him with the horrible, brutal monster who had done this to him.

            Dean curled up in the nest.  Even his breathing was painful.  He groaned, tried to get comfortable with his broken arm propped up on the pillow. Then he closed his eyes.  Not like he was going anywhere.  May as well sleep.

            Dean had actually managed to fall asleep when he was awakened by heavy footsteps. He sat up with a gasp and immediately cried out in pain when he jarred his injured arm.

            Cas limped in.  The angel looked barely able to keep his feet under him.  His fancy parade tunic was torn and bloody.  Castiel was as battered and bruised as Dean himself.  Dean blinked up at him, confused.  “Cas?  What the hell happened to you?”

            Castiel peered at Dean.  His eyes moved slowly over his treasure, noting every cut, bruise, and bump. Dean’s injured hand was a deep, ugly purple.  Castiel closed his eyes, focusing on his own injuries.  The beating he’d suffered was the closest Castiel had ever come to his own destruction.  If the stupid, arrogant guardians hadn’t been so arrogant, so sure that Castiel, unarmed and outnumbered, was easy prey?  Castiel never would have been able to grab one of their weapons.  As it was, they’d beaten him badly.  He’d been stabbed multiple times and then had to race back to his own borders.  Now every wound ached and throbbed.  His Grace was so low he was swaying on his feet.  He desperately needed to rest and heal.

            But his treasure needed him more.

            Castiel came closer.  When the angel approached, and Dean immediately tried to crawl away.

            “Stop.”

            Dean froze.

            Castiel stooped painfully down and healed him.  His treasure didn’t move, but he was shaking. 

            Healing Dean drained even more of his already-depleted Grace.  It was too much.  Castiel swayed, fell heavily to the ground.  Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Dean shouting.  His treasure sounded upset.  Well, of course he did.  After what Castiel had done to him, Dean had every right to be upset.


	12. Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel finally listens to Dean

            Something cool was rubbing at his face.  Castiel moaned, turned his head slightly.

            “Hey, you awake?  Come on, Cas, open those eyes!”

            Castiel didn’t want to open his eyes.  But Dean’s voice drew him back to consciousness and he finally did.

            The face of his treasure was floating above him.  No.  Castiel was lying on the floor, and Dean was looking anxiously down at him.  The beautiful little face gave a relieved smile. “Whew, that was scary!  Nice to see those blues again.  You were out for a scary long time!”

            “Out?”  Castiel moved and instantly had cause to regret it.  His body complained mightily.  He groaned.

            “Here.”  Dean’s tiny arm moved behind Castiel’s neck, painfully lifted the angel’s head a bit. Something pressed to Castiel’s lips and cool liquid began to flow.  Castiel drank, grateful for the water.  When the supply was suddenly gone, he frowned.

            “Sorry.  It was all I had, and I had to use a lot of it to clean your wounds.  And yeah, we’re drinking out of the pitcher.  I, um, had to use the glass.  You didn’t leave the restroom open when you took off, you prick, and you’ve been out, physically or unconscious, for most of the day!”

            The words didn’t make sense at first, took a moment to process.  Castiel frowned again and looked around.  He was still lying on the floor where he’d fallen, but the nest had been disturbed, many of the pillows and blankets dragged out in what could only be an attempt to make Castiel more comfortable. Naturally.  His treasure hadn’t been able to drag him into the nest, so he’d done what he could to bring the nest to Castiel.

            Wait.  Dean had done this for Castiel?  His treasure had cleaned Castiel’s wounds, tried to make him comfortable, and given him water, despite what Castiel had done?

            Dean was still looking anxiously down at him.  Seeing Castiel’s eyes lock onto him, he shifted and looked away.  “I didn’t know what to do,” he confessed. “I had to use one of the blankets to clean up your wounds, too, so that’s probably a mess.  But you were so out of it for so long!  I was scared, but I didn’t know how to call for help or what to really do for you.  So if I screwed up, well, you know, sorry?”

            Castiel got to his feet.  He shook out his wings, wincing.  His wounds still had a lot of healing to do.  Price of nearly getting killed.  But the danger was definitely past.  The bottom line still remained.  Despite having screamed at Castiel that he’d hated him, when Castiel had been at his most vulnerable, Dean had cared for him.  His treasure had done his very best to help Castiel.

            Dean cared!

            Dean’s anxiety visibly ratcheted when he saw Castiel back on his feet.  He quickly turned, tried to run.  And when Castiel caught him around the waist and picked him up, he yelled and struggled wildly.  “No, don’t hurt me!  Put me down! Let me GO!  Don’t you dare hit me again, you son of a bitch!”

            “Shh, I won’t.”  Castiel gathered Dean close, buried his face in the struggling human’s hair.  “I’m sorry, Dean.  I never meant to hurt you like that!”

            Dean shoved at him.  “Fine, then put me down!  Yeah, I made a mess out of the nest, but I didn’t know what else to do, alright?  I did the best I could!”  He slapped at the angel and squirmed.  “Let me go, Cas!  Don’t hurt me anymore!  You’ve done enough to me, now leave me alone!”

            It finally dawned on Castiel what his treasure was saying.  Dean thought Castiel would be angry at the mess in the nest. His treasure believed that Castiel would be upset!  That was shocking, and dismaying.  It didn’t make sense.  It was obvious that Dean had been trying to help Castiel the only way he could.  So why would he possibly think that anyone would be upset?

            Unless, of course, Castiel had already given Dean reason to believe that any break in routine, any alteration from the expected regardless of rationale, was worthy of punishment.

            Am I really that bad?  Does Dean honestly fear me that much?

            What have I done?

            For a moment, Castiel hesitated, trying to wrap his brain around this new concept.  In that moment, Dean panicked.  He hit and kicked for all he was worth.  “Put me down! I hate you!  Let go of me, you prick!  I meant what I told you, Cas!  I don’t care how much you beat me and heal me back up, I’ll never belong to you! Let me go!”

            “I can’t, Dean!”  Castiel’s voice was a whisper, almost buried in Dean’s hair.  “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you go.  I just can’t!”

            Dean abruptly went limp.  “Why won’t you let me go?” he whimpered.  “I saw my brother today!  Sammy, my little brother?  He thought I was dead, but now he knows you took me away.  And I wish he still thought I was dead!  At least then he wouldn’t...  He wouldn’t know...”  Dean sobbed. “I wish you would have just killed me, or shut me up forever in that big storage closet with everything else! Anything would have been better than Sammy seeing me like this!”

            Dean was shaking.  He was curled up as much as he could while being held in Castiel’s arms, crying and completely defensive, obviously still expecting punishment.  And Castiel couldn’t take anymore.  He straightened, taking a deep breath.  “Dean, I can’t let you go!  I need you too much to ever let you go.  But even if I could bear to part with you?  I claimed you, put my band on you, and I’ve been Grace marking your soul. Any one of those things would make you a target for anyone with a grudge against me, against Raphael, against any angel! The things that the guardians protect our territory against?  They’ll come for you, my treasure.”  He swallowed. “For you, and for anyone around you.”

            Dean let out a low moan.  “They’d come for Sammy?  Then I can’t ever go back!”

            “No, Dean.  I’m sorry.”

            Dean made a small noise.  He uncurled, hanging limply from Castiel’s arms.  “I hate you,” he whispered.

            “I know.”  Castiel bent his neck so that his face could press into the crook Dean’s neck, breathing in the scent of his treasure.  “Dean, you’re afraid of me, aren’t you?”

            “Seriously?!”  Dean pushed at Castiel’s head.  “Think about what you’ve done to me, Cas!  What if our roles were reversed, huh?  What if I was the giant who took you away, treated you the way you’ve been treating me?  It’s so easy for you to hurt me, and you have!  You’ve beaten me three times now, Cas!  Three!  This last time, for a moment there I really thought you were going to kill me!  Now ask yourself.  Wouldn’t you be afraid?!”

            For the first time, Castiel considered exactly what Dean was saying. The idea was ridiculous on its face. Dean’s life had greatly improved when Castiel had taken him.  The human should be grateful, and every time he’d been punished, it had been as a direct result of his own behavior!  But then he thought about what he’d done to Dean.  Castiel was a warrior.  He’d earned his esteem and regard.  What if that was suddenly taken away, just as he’d feared would happen when Dean had attacked him?  He suddenly realized that he had no idea what Dean had been prior to becoming Castiel’s treasure.  What if Dean was a warrior, too?

            But what if it went a step further?  From the moment Castiel had put his claiming band around Dean’s neck, Dean had become his most prized possession.  But what did that really mean?  Castiel tried to imagine how he would feel if he were fed and carried, not allowed to make choices.  And suddenly, so much made sense.  For the first time, he understood why Dean refused to clean his fingers, why he fought against being fed, even why he hated being carried.  Every one of those things stripped Dean of his dignity, of his worth, of his status as a person and reduced him to...

            ...An animal.

            “I’m not an animal.”  That was what Dean had said the first time Castiel had tried to get his treasure to lick his fingers.  At the time he didn’t understand it.  But now, understanding brought with it a wave of guilt, of horror, of sickening disgust.

            What have I done?

            “You did a lot of shit to me, Castiel.”  Dean had stopped struggling and was hanging passively again.  His voice was soft.  “I’m not gonna lie.  You’ve been hurting me in one way or another since the day you first put your hands on me! Question now is, what are you going to do about it?”

            Once again, Castiel had involuntarily voiced his thoughts out loud. He looked down at his treasure. Dean dangled unhappily from his arms, his eyes fixed on the floor.  His treasure wanted down, as usual.  Dean hated being carried.  Why wouldn’t he?  It took away all of his control over where he would go, what would happen to him.  From the moment Dean’s feet were off the floor, he was rendered helpless.

            Well, that was easy enough to fix.

            Dean looked up in alarm when his feet touched the floor.  He eyed Castiel suspiciously when the angel let go of him and took a step back.  Then Dean was moving, rapidly walking to the farthest corner, as far from Castiel as he could get.  The whole time, he kept glancing back at Castiel, obviously expecting the angel to come after him.  Even when he reached the corner and sank down into it, his wide, anxious eyes marked Castiel’s every move.  Castiel felt a tug, a yearning to touch Dean, hold him.  Castiel had been badly wounded.  His body ached.  All he wanted to do was to lie down in his nest with his treasure and rest.

            Instead, he cleaned up the nest.

            Dean watched anxiously from his corner as Castiel got rid of the mess and readjusted the pillows and blankets.  Then the angel considered Dean and summoned the feeding table.

            Almost immediately, Dean’s shoulders slumped, his eyes dulled.  He turned his face away from Castiel as the angel approached. But Castiel didn’t touch him. “Dean?  Are you hungry?”

            No response.  Castiel instinctively reached for his treasure and saw Dean flinch.  He stopped.  Then he moved to the feeding table, selected a piece of fruit, and brought it over to his treasure.  “Here, Dean. I know you must be hungry.”

            Dean blinked at him in confusion.  Then he blinked again when Castiel carefully put the piece of fruit into his hand.  Confused green eyes moved from the fruit to the angel and back.  Then Dean quickly bit into it.

            Castiel returned to the table and started eating.  A moment later, Dean tentatively approached, coming around on the opposite side of the table to select more food for himself.  He watched Castiel suspiciously the entire time, flinching any time Castiel moved unexpectedly.  But Castiel never touched him.  The angel finished eating and went to use the restroom.  When he was finished, he left it open.

            “Are you finished eating?” he asked his treasure quietly.

            Dean nodded.  “Yeah.” His eyes flicked to the open door, and returned to Castiel.  “You really leaving the restroom open?”

            “I really am.”  Castiel dismissed the uneaten food and moved wearily towards his nest.  “I need to rest, Dean, to heal.  I’m going to lie down and sleep some more.  I would love for you to come too, let me hold you?  I know it would help me rest, and that would help me heal quicker.  May I hold you?”  He held his arms out with a hopeful smile towards his treasure.

            His treasure’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “Do I have a choice?”

            Castiel’s smile faded a bit.  “You do. I won’t force you.  You can say no if you don’t want to let me hold you, Dean. But I would very much like it if you’d say yes?”

            “But you won’t hurt me or drag me over if I say no?”

            The smile was gone.  “It’s your choice.”

            “Then no.  Leave me alone.”  Dean’s face was pale and sweaty as he spoke.  But his voice was clear and steady.

            Castiel’s heart fell.  He lowered his arms and forced himself to nod at his treasure.  Then he moved to his nest and gathered some blankets and pillows. These he brought to Dean.  Dean cringed, pressing himself fearfully back into his corner when Castiel loomed over him.  But all Castiel did was hand the items to Dean.  Returning to his nest, he laid down alone.  His nest had never seemed so cold and empty.  It took a long time before his exhaustion finally drew him down into sleep.

            Dean had no idea what was happening.  For some reason, Cas was finally making some real progress towards treating him like an actual person instead of a pet.  It had to be some kind of trick.  Any minute now, Cas would jump up, grab Dean, and beat him again, or at least drag him back into the nest and hold him down again.  Since he’d been taken, Dean had never gone a night without Cas holding him down, forcing him to stay close in the nest while he slept.  But it didn’t happen.  It just didn’t make sense!  Dean had forced himself to eat, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then, when it still didn’t happen, he’d been bold enough to tell Cas no to being held down in the nest again. And still, nothing.  No giant grabbing hands dragged him close.  No massive arm wrapped around him, pinning him down.  Cas simply accepted his choice.  He’d even given Dean his own blankets!  For the first time since he’d been taken, Dean was being given choices.  And Cas was actually accepting them!

            What the hell did it mean?

            Dean spent a restless night.  Every time he drifted off, he’d snap his eyes open moments later, sure Cas was coming for him.  It felt strange to sleep without the giant arms and wings holding him down, pinning in whatever position Cas put him in.  The freedom of movement was almost alarming.  When Cas had first taken him, Dean had felt hot, stuffy and confined by arms and blankets and wings.  Now he had his blankets to adjust as he saw fit, and it didn’t seem like enough.  He felt cold.  Why did it get so cool so quickly in the nest when Cas turned off the light?  Surely the giant winged douchebag could keep it warmer!  Was that the object lesson here?  Sleep with Cas like a good pet, or suffer from the cold?

            If it was, Dean was determined to be a slow learner.

            Morning came with Dean having gotten very little sleep.  He had no idea how the day/night cycle worked here, if it was Angel Standard Time or if it got dark outside or what.  It was clear that Cas’s nest dimmed the lights in response to the angel’s desire.  That’s how he always knew when Cas was awake and about to start his day.  Dean had no desire to talk to Cas that morning.  So when the lights came on, Dean squeezed his eyelids shut and pulled the blankets over his head.

            The sound of the angel’s footsteps approached.  “Dean?”

            “Leave me alone, Cas!”

            “I won’t touch you without your permission.  Are you hungry?”

            Dean considered the question.  His stomach rumbled at the idea of food, but he was so sick of rabbit food he could scream. “No, thanks,” he called.  He braced, expecting to be dragged out of his blankets and force fed.

            “Alright, my treasure.  I’ll leave the table out with some food available in case you’re hungry later.”

            Huh?

            Dean dared to peek out from under his blankets.  He saw Cas quietly eating, not even glancing in Dean’s direction. The angel looked upset.  If the dark circles under his eyes were any indication, Cas hadn’t gotten any more restful sleep than Dean had.  Finished, Cas moved away from the table, leaving it, and the food on it, unprotected.

            Dean’s stomach once again rumbled, obviously wanting fed.  With a muttered curse, Dean crawled slowly out from under the blankets.

            Cas was on the other side of the nest, reading.  Surely he knew Dean was on the move.  But he didn’t look up.  His eyes remained locked on his reading.

            Alright.  Dean moved quickly to the table, grabbed some food, and then scurried back to his blankets. Cas never moved.  Dean sat on his blankets, watching the angel, and quickly devoured his food.  Finished, he stared unhappily at the debris left behind.  Being forced to constantly eat nothing but rabbit food was its own form of torture.  He knew he was losing weight, but what did you expect?

            “You don’t like that food.”

            Dean looked up with a sharp gasp.  Cas hadn’t moved and still wasn’t looking at him, his eyes still fixed on the book.  Dean eyed him.  He moved to throw away his trash and then stepped into the restroom to clean up.

            “Are you really so fond of that burned meat?”

            This time, Cas was looking at him.  Dean frowned.  “I’m not a vegetarian, ok?” he dared.  “It doesn’t have to be bacon double cheeseburgers, but I’d love to have a little meat!  Even just a piece of roast chicken would be awesome.”

            Cas looked at the table, and a mouthwatering smell filled the nest.

            Roast chicken.  Golden brown, steaming as it sat in a pan of juices.  Dean’s mouth watered.  He quickly got up and approached it, but frowned.  “I get it.  No weapons for the naughty human, so I gotta either burn my fingers or eat it cold!”

            “Weapons?”  Cas got up and Dean dove for his blankets, burrowing under them like a child hiding from the bogey man.  Cas sighed. He moved to the table and drew his angel blade, using it to carve the chicken.  “I have no idea what I’m doing here,” he admitted.  “But I hope this helps.  You’re right, I don’t believe I can trust you with weapons just yet.  But I want you to eat, Dean.  You’re losing weight.  I only started feeding you in the first place because you ate so little, and even then, it was a struggle to get you to eat!”

            “Because you only fed me rabbit food!” Dean accused from under the blankets.

            “I understand that now.”  Cas cleaned off his blade, replaced it, and moved back to his corner.  “There you are.  Please eat?”

            Dean stayed as he was.  But the mouthwatering smell proved irresistible after a minute and he peeked out. Cas had returned to his corner.  Dean got up and went to the table, where he found ragged chunks of meat carved out of the bird.  Cas needed to work on his carving skills.  The bird had been primarily stabbed, with chunks dug out of it. Oh well.  The chunks were soaking in the juice in the pan, and Dean’s stomach decided immediately that it didn’t give a shit about presentation.  It wanted food NOW.  The meat was delicious, perfectly cooked, with the juice it had been lying in making it even better.  Dean let out an absolutely filthy moan and gobbled until his stomach felt uncomfortably full.  “Holy shit,” he groaned.  “Oh man, I needed that!”

            “You enjoyed that!”  Cas sounded surprised.  “I cannot believe how much you ate!”

            “Dude, of course I enjoyed that!  And I’m going to eat when it’s something I like!”  The smile faded from Dean’s face.  Cas had come up behind him while he’d been eating and now stood in easy reach.  Dean backed up until his back was against the table and eyed him.  “Now you’re gonna tell me what I have to do to pay for it, huh?”

            “Pay for it?”  The angel’s head tilted to the side, his eyes narrowed in confusion.  “I don’t understand.”

            “You fed me something I wanted.  Now’s the part where you tell me what you want in return.  I know how this works, ok?  So, what is it?  You want to cuddle me, pick me up and hold me for a while?”

            The angel’s face lit up.  “Yes, very much!”

            Fine.  Dean nodded. “Alright.”

            Delighted, Castiel scooped his treasure up.  He’d missed this, Dean’s warm, pliant little body in his arms.  He held his treasure close, pressed kisses into his skin.  He wrapped his wings around them both, holding Dean more securely against him.  He closed his eyes and lowered his face into Dean’s hair, breathing in the scent of his treasure.  His sweet, beautiful, wonderful Dean, back in his arms again!  Now everything would be alright.  Castiel cradled his treasure against his chest, rocking him slightly, kissed him again...

            “Enough!  Let me go!”

            Castiel blinked in surprise.  Dean’s body was tense, trembling.  His breathing was quick.  Already, he was starting to kick and struggle.  “No more!  Put me down, Cas!  Let go of me!”

            “Dean?  I don’t understand, what’s wrong?  Did I hurt you?”

            “No, just let me go, Cas, please!  I can’t take any more of this!  Put me down!”

            Confused, Castiel reluctantly put his treasure down.  Dean struggled free and dove for his blankets, disappearing under them.  “Alright, here’s the deal,” he called.  “I’ll let you hold me once in a while so long as you’re decent, alright?  No more forcing me or dragging me around or beating on me!”

            “O-of course, Dean, I understand that, but why did you go?  Don’t you like being held?”

            “No, Cas!”  The immediate, sharp reply made Castiel flinch.  “No, I do not!  But I get that you want to keep me and it doesn’t seem like there’s anything I can do about that.  So fine! Don’t be a dick to me, don’t try to force me, and I’ll be your teddy bear now and then.  And I get that I’m going to have to play the good treasure in front of the other angels.  But between you and I?”  Dean’s head appeared, glaring angrily at Castiel.  “Leave me the fuck alone, Cas!  Just leave me alone!”

            Castiel felt something inside of himself shatter.  Dean didn’t want him.  Those lovely moments of holding his treasure, the affection Castiel had tried to share, weren’t wanted.  Dean only wanted to be left alone.  But now he was trapped here.

            “And one more thing!” Dean had hidden himself back in the blankets, but was yelling through them.  “Don’t you ever, ever touch my soul again!  You may have to keep this collar around my neck, but you leave my soul alone! Got it, motherfucker?!”

            “Yes.”  Castiel managed to make it to the nest before collapsing.  He curled up, wrapping his wings around himself and feeling miserable. Odd.  His wounds had largely healed.  But the pain he felt was worse now than it had ever been.

            Well, what did he expect?  Now that he’d started to see things from Dean’s point of view, it seemed obvious why Dean was so upset.  In trying to take good care of his treasure and show affection, he’d hurt Dean nearly as much as any beating.  And now Dean understood he was trapped here.  If Castiel had only taken the time to think about how it must feel to be Dean, to see things through the human’s eyes...

            Seeing through the human’s eyes.  An idea formed in the angel’s mind.  He got up.  “Dean?” he called.  “I’m going out for a moment.  I’ll be back soon.”

            “Whatever.”  No movement from the blanket.

            Alright, then.  Castiel headed out.


	13. A New Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel tries to see things from his treasure's point of view

            Cas was gone for hours.  Dean welcomed the solitude.  He was doing some exercises while he made plans.  Physical activity had always helped him think.  Right now, he was doing push-ups, his mind racing. They’d made some progress today. He’d had a bad moment, while Cas was holding him, when he’d panicked, felt sure that Cas would refuse to let him go. But after a bit of screaming and kicking, the angel had released him.  And so far, the giant flying dick hadn’t done anything to hurt him again. If anything, Cas looked and acted more like a wounded puppy.  When Dean had told him that he didn’t like being held, for a moment there, it had almost seemed like Cas would burst into tears.  In fact, when the angel had collapsed into the nest, that was precisely what Dean thought he’d been about to do.  Guilt twisted his insides.  That immediately made Dean frown.  He knew what Stockholm Syndrome was.  This was the same angel that had kidnapped him, collared him, beaten him, burned his name into his soul for Pete’s sake, and Dean was feeling bad because he’d hurt his feelings?  No, that was messed up in all sorts of ways.  Sack up, Winchester.

            Dean focused his thoughts on his plans.  It was obvious that the two of them were going to have to come to some sort of arrangement.  Cas had demonstrated that he was willing to bend, to give in on some things in exchange for Dean letting himself be held and cuddled.  He could use that.  In exchange for some cuddle time, perhaps Dean could even wrangle some more outdoor time, even if it was just in that one part of Heaven that looked like a big open field?  He didn’t dare ask to visit Sammy.  Not only would it be more than Dean could stand for Sammy to see him like this again, but the chance Cas would decide to seize Sammy and use him against Dean was just too high.  No way Dean was going to let that happen!  The fighting was over in Sammy’s territory, meaning Sam would be safe. The idea of never seeing his brother again made Dean feel like throwing up, but if that was what it took to keep Sam safe, so be it.

            Getting Cas to give him red meat was probably still off the table for now, but other, healthier foods seemed to be back on the menu. Cas had obviously done that thing where he “attuned” the nest to Dean, which had resulted in that awesome roast chicken just as he’d been imagining.  If that was the case, then as long as the food was reasonably healthy, his menu could be limited only by Dean’s imagination.  When it came to food choices, Dean’s imagination was vivid indeed. He’d have to keep up on his physical exercise to avoid getting fat, but that was something he could live with. He was even willing to be primarily vegetarian, only asking for something actually palatable once in a while. That should make Cas happy.

            It also meant less time Dean would be forced to spend letting Cas snuggle him.

            Dean couldn’t suppress a shudder.  Cas was obviously very affectionate, all about the hugs and snuggles and the damn kisses.  That was annoying, but it wasn’t the real problem.  The real problem came from one source – Dean was helpless.  That was something he’d learned from that very first day Cas had taken him away and brought him here.  Once those giant hands had hold of him, there was nothing he could do to free himself.  Cas could cuddle him or hurt him as he wished, and Dean had no say in it.  That was what Cas couldn’t seem to understand. Yeah, the angel was only being affectionate, but it didn’t matter.  The angel’s strength was immense.  The same hands that had cuddled and caressed Dean had also beaten him repeatedly.  It was so easy for Cas to hurt him.  The giant had done it so many times unintentionally.  When it was intentional, well, it was a good thing that Cas could resurrect him because sooner or later one of those beatings was going to kill Dean for sure.

            It was absolutely in Dean’s best interest to stay on the angel’s good side.  That meant giving in, being a good pet for Cas, and putting up with being held at times. It didn’t matter how terrified Dean really was now of the giant hands that held him.  He had to be careful.  There was a hard limit to how far he could go.  Cas was giving him choices and options, but Dean couldn’t forget just how vulnerable he was.  If he held back too much, Cas would become frustrated and simply take what he wanted. Then Dean would be right back to where he started.  Dean didn’t think he could handle being forced into obedience again.  He’d end up just like Charlie.

            Dean’s eyes moved to the nest, pausing in his workout. Cas had really been crushed about Dean refusing to be cuddled while he slept.  Maybe Dean should let Cas have him tonight?  The idea made Dean shudder.  No. While that would no doubt go a long way towards mending relations with the angel, Dean just couldn’t stand to be held down again all night.  Not tonight. His body didn’t bear a single scar from the beating he’d endured, but Dean’s mind was another story.  Once again, he was rubbing at his wrist.  There was no pain, no residual soreness, no sign at all of the fracture.  But Dean couldn’t forget it.  The way the angel had picked him up by his broken wrist, the way the pain had lanced through him...  It was too much, too soon.  Maybe, in time, if Cas continued this trend of not being such a grabby douche, Dean could trust him again?  One day, Dean might even be willing to let himself be held in the nest while they slept. But not now.  It had been all Dean could do to stand being held as long as he had been today.  He’d go out of his mind if he was held down all night!  No, Cas was just going to have to get over it for now.

            One thing that was clear was that Dean needed to be, well, clear.  Cas never had visitors, didn’t seem to have any friends.  Little wonder he’d grown so attached to Dean.  But that meant that Cas had no frame of reference for interacting with Dean.  He missed things that seemed obvious.  Dean was going to have to be careful, spell out exactly what he wanted, if he wanted to get anywhere with the angel.  For starters, that meant laying down some ground rules.  Dean had already been very clear that he didn’t want to be grabbed. He’d have to reinforce that.  The angel had all the power, but he clearly wanted Dean’s affection.  That gave Dean a certain amount of power as well.  He needed to be firm, stand his ground, and not show any fear.  Then Cas would...

            Cas suddenly appeared, walking through the wall, and Dean immediately dove for his blankets in spite of himself.  He wrapped the blankets around himself, shuddering, dreading the giant hands reaching for him, picking him up, bringing an end to the uneasy truce.  But it didn’t happen.  Dean could hear Cas moving, the massive feet stepping further in.  Then Cas’s rumbling voice mumbled something in Angelspeak. And to Dean’s shock, there was a flash of light.

            Dean let loose with a high-pitched scream that could only be described as girly with no shame at all.  His skin seemed to tingle with residual power.  He pulled the blankets tighter around himself, shivering. What the hell had Cas just done?

            He heard something, movement.  Cas was walking again, but his footsteps sounded odd. They were also moving away from Dean, heading towards the opposite corner.  Dean could hear Cas shifting around.  Then nothing.

            After a time, Dean dared to peek out, lifting the edge of his blankets to peer underneath.  There was Cas, sitting in the opposite corner.  The angel had his legs tucked up underneath himself and his arms folded over his chest.  He looked strange, and after a moment, Dean understood why.  Cas’s wings were gone.  The massive black appendages were simply not there. 

            Confused, Dean poked out his head.  Cas gave him a shy smile, but otherwise didn’t move. “Cas?” Dean called.  “What happened to your wings?”

            “They’re here.”  Cas leaned forward a bit and indicated his back.  “I don’t have to have them out all the time, it’s just more comfortable that way.  I can fold them back when I want to.”

            “Oh.  I didn’t know you could do that.”  Dean was still staring hard at Cas.  Something else was different about the angel.  Cas was up to something, and Dean didn’t care for it.  “What was that light earlier?  What did you do?”

            “It was a spell.”

            “Ok?”

            Cas sat there, looking at him.

            Dean sighed.  “Cas, what does the spell do?”

            “To you, nothing.  It’s just something I wanted to try to help us get along better.” Cas shrugged.  “That’s all.”

            That’s all?  Dean’s curiosity finally got the better of him.  He climbed out of his blankets and got up.  Something seemed off about the angel.  Cas didn’t move, watching Dean with an expression of anxious anticipation as Dean carefully moved closer.

            It wasn’t until he was about four feet away from Cas, nearly in grabbing distance, that Dean finally figured it out.  “What the actual fuck?!  You shrunk!”

            Cas nodded at him.  He carefully got to his feet and Dean rapidly retreated, nearly stumbling over a pillow as he crossed into the nest.  Cas raised his hands in surrender.  “I won’t hurt you, Dean.  I thought about what you said, about how I would feel if our positions were reversed and some giant flying dick was handling me the way I did you.  You’re human, Dean.  Your body wouldn’t survive it if I made you my size.  But I can make myself into your size, see things from your perspective, and so I did.”  He spread his hands, indicating his now human-sized body.  “What do you think?  Is this easier for you, if I’m like this?”

            Dean stared.  Then he slowly nodded.  “Yeah, actually, it kind of is.  But we’re still pretty far from equals, Cas.  You can go back to normal whenever you want, and then we’re right back where we started!”

            “I understand that.  But at least it’s a start, right?  I thought we could talk, get to know each other as something other than just a warrior and his treasure?”  Castiel closely watched his treasure.  He’d stopped moving when Dean backed away.  Now he stood as he was, his hands clearly in view, waiting for Dean’s reaction.

            Dean stared at him for some time.  Then he slowly came closer.  Dean’s face bore an expression of distrust that hurt Castiel a little.  Well, what did he expect?  He stood perfectly still, letting Dean approach at his own pace.

            Dean inched closer to the angel.  At this size and without his wings, Cas just looked like a weird guy in a tunic.  He didn’t seem threatening at all.  In fact, the big blue eyes were watching Dean’s every move, seeming to brace for rejection.  Cas was really trying here.  Alright. Dean took a deep breath and came over.

            Up close, Cas was actually a little shorter than he was.  For the first time, he was able to look into the angel’s eyes.  Cas’s eyes were an incredible deep blue.  He actually was very attractive, and at this size, alarmingly non-threatening.  Dean carefully walked around the angel, studying him.  Cas remained still, allowing this exploration.  Dean made a complete circle, returning to stand in front of Cas.  “Huh!” he said.

            Once again, that shy smile.  Cas was actually kind of adorable, if Dean was honest.  He seemed completely vulnerable as he stood there, dark hair sticking up in all directions, ducking his head slightly as he smiled, looking like the dorky new kid at school desperately hoping to make a friend.  But Dean was still suspicious.  “How long are you gonna be, you know, travel sized?”

            “Well, the spell doesn’t wear off, but it’s easy enough to reverse,” Cas explained.

            “So you wave a magic wand, and presto, giant again?”

            Cas frowned.  “Magic wand?  There’s no such thing!”

            “Oh.”  Dean felt stupid.  “Well, how do you get big again?”

            “It’s just a matter of focusing my Grace while I read the reversing spell.”  Cas got into a pouch he had on the belt he usually wore and produced a rolled-up piece of parchment.  He unrolled it and showed it to Dean.  “See, this is the spell to reduce my size.  And the spell below it reverses it.”

            “I see,” Dean said as if the weird symbols on the parchment made any sense at all to him.  “So it shrunk you and everything you have on you?”

            “Yes.”

            “And then you just read it and instant growth spurt?”

            “That’s right.”  Cas rolled up the parchment and replaced it in his pouch.  “I thought it could help us communicate if you could look me in the eye.  So...” He spread his hands.

            Dean frowned at him.  “So, this is what, you relating to me?  Seeing things from my point of view?”

            “Well, yes,” Cas said, uncertainly.  “I know that my size frightened you, how easily I could handle you.  So I thought if I were more relatable it might help?”

            “It does, I won’t lie,” Dean admitted.  “It’s a lot easier to talk to you like this, when you’re not looming over me ready to grab me any minute.  Now it’s more like just talking to another guy.”

            The shy smile was back.

            Dean dared to reach out, touch the angel’s arm. Cas didn’t move, simply watching curiously as Dean touched him.  “Does this hurt?  Being, you know, scrunched down?”

            “No,” Cas assured him.  “I’m fine, Dean.  This doesn’t harm me in any way.”

            “And you can stay small for as long as you want without it hurting you?”

            “Yes.”  Cas looked eagerly at him.  “I can remain this size, Dean, and we can get to know each other!  Just talking to another guy, right?  I’d love to know more about you.  I realized I don’t actually know anything about you at all!” He looked down.  “When I took you, I didn’t give it any thought.”

            “Yeah, I know.”  Oh, he knew.  Dean’s anger was bubbling up again.  Cas was so naive it was almost endearing.  But Dean wouldn’t, couldn’t forget what the angel had done to him. Shrinking himself down to human size didn’t even begin to make up for what Cas had done!  But maybe, now, Dean had a chance to do something that just might make Cas think twice before he hurt Dean again?  Emboldened, Dean took hold of Cas’s arms with both hands and gave him a push.

            Cas rocked back on his heels, looking up at Dean and raising his eyebrows.  “Um, are you trying to get me to move back?”  He took a step backwards.

            Dean immediately pulled him forward again, taking a step back to compensate.  Cas moved where he was guided, head tilted to one side, giving Dean a confused squint. No weird angel powers.  No smiting.  And best of all, no suddenly popping back to giant size.  In this size, it seemed that Dean and Cas were finally evenly matched.

            That was all Dean needed to know.

            Dean quickly grabbed hold of Cas’s wrists and shoved them hard against Cas’s shoulders, forcing the angel back again. Surprised, Cas stumbled back until his back encountered the wall.  Now he was frowning as he looked at Dean.  “Dean?  Why are you pushing me against the wall?  What are you doing?”

            “Experimenting.”  Dean pinned Cas’s wrists to the wall.  “Seems to me, you and I are on even ground here!”

            “Yes, that was my intention.  But I only wanted to talk to you.”  The head tilt was back, Cas squinting at him, obviously confused. “Why are you holding me like this?”

            “Don’t care for it, do you, Cas?”

            “Not particularly, no.  The truth is, you’re making me uncomfortable.  Please let go of me?”

            “Why?” Dean pressed, tightening his grip on the angel’s wrists.  “What’s making you uncomfortable?”

            “Because you’re trapping me!”

            “Sucks when someone takes away the use of your hands, doesn’t it?”

            “Oh.”  Castiel looked away.  “I understand.  And I’m sorry, Dean.”

            Dean let him go.  He stepped away from Castiel a bit, pacing and chewing on his lower lip. His eyes flickered, lost in his thoughts.  Castiel stepped away from the wall and rubbed at his wrists, glad Dean had let him go. That had been decidedly uncomfortable. His treasure had been looking at him very strangely.  That was half the reason Castiel had felt uncomfortable.  For a moment there, he hadn’t been sure if Dean would release him.

            Castiel waited patiently, silently watching his treasure as Dean paced, thinking.  Then Dean finally stopped, looking determined.  “For what it’s worth, this, shrinking yourself down like this?”  He indicated Castiel.  “I appreciate it, Cas.  I do.  But here’s the thing.  We’re a lot more even now, and that’s awesome.  But you’re still not going to get what it’s like to be me unless our positions are actually reversed!”

            Castiel sighed.  “Dean, the human body really isn’t capable of maintaining itself at an angel’s size.  Your blood pressure...”

            “But you can change your size, shrink yourself down without a problem, right?” Dean insisted.

            “Yes, that’s precisely what I did?”

            “So can you do it some more?”

            Castiel frowned, confused.  “What do you mean?”

            Dean stepped forward, leaning aggressively towards Castiel.  If Castiel hadn’t been a warrior, he might have stepped back involuntarily.  As it was, he was glad his wings were folded. Otherwise, they would have flared into a defensive stance by this obvious act of aggression.  “I mean, if you want to know what it’s like to be me?” Dean was saying.  “Then shrink yourself down some more!  Get to the point where your size is relative to what it would be if our positions were reversed.  Then you’ll see what it’s really been like!”

            That look was back in his eye, making Castiel feel uncomfortable again.  He shifted. “Dean, I already understand how it must have been for you.  I acknowledge that I was wrong in what I did.  I really see no reason to...”

            “You know, Cas, we humans have a saying down in the muck,” Dean interrupted.  “You can’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes!”

            “But Dean, you’re not wearing shoes!  I suppose I could wear your sandals, but I still don’t see what...”

            “Cas!  It’s a metaphor that means you can’t really understand someone until you’ve lived their life the way they live it.  And it applies here.”  He took Castiel’s shoulders again, looking him in the eye.  “You think you know what you put me through.  But you don’t, Cas!  That little business a moment ago, when I pinned you to the wall?  That was me proving that you have no clue about how it felt to be on the receiving end of the shit you did to me.  You just don’t, and until you do?  Then you and I are never going to get along, alright? Because I won’t be able to forgive you, and I’ll never be sure you won’t hurt me again!”

            Castiel shook his head.  “Dean, I wouldn’t...!”

            “No.”  Dean let go and turned his back on the angel.  “What you did here was cool, but it isn’t enough.  It’s too little too late, Cas!  We’re done talking.”

            Castiel looked at his treasure, seeing the anger in the set of Dean’s shoulders.  He swallowed. “Is that really what you want?  If I do this, will you forgive me, let me start again with you?”

            “I’ll consider it.”  Dean’s voice was harsh.

            Castiel nodded.  “Alright.”  He got into the pouch at his belt and pulled out the roll of parchment where he’d inscribed the spell.  Taking a deep breath, he gathered his Grace and cast the spell.

            A moment later, he was seeing his treasure from much further down.

            Dean turned around.  His face broke into a smile when he saw that Castiel had acquiesced. “Heh, look at you!  Mini Cas!”

            Castiel smiled back.  Then Dean moved, surprising him.  He only blinked when Dean snatched the parchment away.  Then he was even more surprised when Dean suddenly seized his wrist in a tight grip and jerked him forward.  Castiel stumbled and might have fallen if Dean hadn’t been holding him. He frowned and looked up at the human. “Um, Dean?  Please don’t jerk on me like this, you’re going to hurt me!”

            Dean was grinning now, but it wasn’t a happy grin.  His treasure looked more like a predator looking at prey.  “Now!” Dean was saying.  “Now we’ll get along just fine!”


	14. Object Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has a mini Cas at his mercy

            “I’m afraid that I need that back.”  Castiel reached for the parchment.  “Here, I’ll put it back in my pouch, and...  Oh!”

            Dean had pulled up on his wrist, lifting him roughly up.  “Ha! Gotcha now!”

            Castiel gasped and looked at Dean, shocked. “Dean, what are you doing?!  Stop!  Let me down!”

            “Don’t like the taste of your own medicine, huh? That means you don’t like it when I treat you the way you treated me!” he added when Castiel looked confused.

            “Is this why you wanted me to make myself smaller?” Castiel asked, upset.  “So you could hurt me?!”

            Uncertainly flashed for a moment in Dean’s eyes, and Castiel’s feet inched closer to the floor.  But then Dean’s eyes hardened again, and Castiel was back in the air. “Count your blessings, Cas!  At least your wrist isn’t broken when I’m doing this to you!”

            “I shouldn’t have done that, Dean.  I’m so sorry I hurt you, but how will hurting me help that now?”  He strained towards the ground.  “Please put me down?”

            “Not gonna happen!”

            Castiel sighed.  “Alright, this has gone too far.  Now I tried to be understanding, but I am a warrior, Dean!  I’ve earned the right to be treated with a certain amount of respect, especially since I went to great lengths to try to relate to you!  Now give me back the parchment, and...”

            Dean scoffed.  “Oh, hell no!”

            “Dean, please, I need that parchment!”  Castiel was trying hard to stay calm, but already he’d gotten a taste of what Dean was referring to.  Never in his life had he been handled like this.  Dean simply would not let him down.  He was hanging uncomfortably by one arm, his feet well above the ground.  He had no idea what his treasure would do to him, especially now that Dean’s cheeks were flushed with anger once again.  “Alright, I see what you mean,” he called.  “I understand now.  Being picked up and carried like this, it’s undignified and more than a little unsettling. I’m sorry, Dean.  Now please, let me down, and the parchment?  I need it back.”

            Dean grinned down at him in a way that Castiel did not care for at all.  “You can’t get big again without it, can you?”

            “No.  I told you, the only way to reverse this is with the counter spell.  The spell, and the counter spell, are both on the parchment. That’s why I need it.”  Castiel patiently reached out again.  “Please give it back?”

            The parchment remained stubbornly out of Castiel’s reach.  “So if something happened to this, are you stuck small forever?”

            “No, of course not!  I copied that spell after I found it in a book at the library.  But Dean, if you ruin my copy, I’d have to go back to the library in this form to get the counter spell.  That would be extremely embarrassing!”

            “As embarrassing as your little brother seeing you dragged through the streets on a leash?”

            And now Castiel grimaced.  “Dean, please!  I never wanted to embarrass you.  But there’s no point in this!”

            Dean had raised him to eye level.  Now he gave Castiel a shake and pointed an accusing finger at him.  “You said you wanted to get to know me, right Cas?  Well, now you’re getting to know me!  And you’re getting to know how I’ve felt!”

            “And I am!  But enough is enough, Dean!  Let me down and give me the parchment!”

            “There is no way in hell I am letting you get bigger than me again!  You’re a little runt now, and you’re staying that way!”

            Castiel ground his teeth.  “I don’t understand why you’re doing this!  Why would you want to keep me small?!”

            “Why would you want to keep me here?” Dean countered.  He shifted, tossing the angel into the air and catching him around the middle, causing Castiel to gasp in alarm.  “How’s it feel to be helpless, Cas?!”

            “I don’t care for it at all!  Please put me down?”

            “No!”  The arm tightened around him.

            “Dean, I...”  Castiel forced himself to stay calm.  “Alright.  I understand you’re angry.  And you have every right to be!  If keeping me this size helps you with that anger, then I’ll accept it.  Just please don’t destroy that parchment!”

            “Fine.”  Dean walked over to one of the shelves where Castiel kept his treasures.  He stood up on the tips of his toes and pushed the parchment onto the highest shelf he could reach.  “It’ll be fine up there for now.  Meanwhile, I’m turning in for a bit.  It’s bedtime for Bonzo!”

            Castiel stared back at the shelf as Dean carried him back towards the nest.  He wasn’t sure what to think.  He remained quiet as Dean climbed into the nest, but frowned when his treasure dragged him down.  “Dean? Are you taking a nap?”

            “Yup.”

            He sighed in relief.  “Alright, in that case, please let me go.  I put off learning the new codes so that I could work with you, but if you’re going to sleep, then...”

            Castiel let his voice trail off as Dean’s arms wrapped around his body, pulling him back against Dean’s chest.  “Um, Dean?  It really is very important that I learn those codes.  If you’ll just let me go get them, I can come right back and you could still...”

            The arms tightened around him.  Dean shifted a bit, let go of Castiel with one arm long enough to pull a blanket over them both, and then wrapped both arms around the angel once more.  “Night, Cas!”

            “Dean, please, it’s important for...”

            A hand clamped over his mouth. “Shush.  And stop struggling!” Dean ordered as Castiel tried to twist his head away from the hand.

            Castiel went still, but he was very upset.  This was maddening.  Castiel understood Dean was proving a point, but the point had been made!  What good did it do to keep him pinned down in the nest?  Frustrated, Castiel lay still.

            After a time, Dean finally let go of his mouth. “Better,” he called.  “Just be nice and quiet and still.”

            “Dean...”

            “Or I’ll tear off strips of these blankets, hog tie you, and gag you!”

            Castiel quieted.

            Dean got comfortable, holding Castiel tightly against him.  For once, Dean was holding Castiel.  Before now, Castiel would have considered it comforting, would have been delighted that his treasure was being affectionate.  But the way Dean was holding him, not giving Castiel any choice and pinning his arms, made it anything but comforting.  Or comfortable.  The giant arms around him were a heavy weight, pressing him down and pinning Castiel’s own arms.  Dean was right.  There really wasn’t any way Castiel could have understood without experiencing first-hand what had been done to his treasure.  Still, Dean seemed to be taking it to extremes.  Just how far was Dean planning to go before he finally let Castiel go?

            Dean, it seemed, slept very little.  He constantly shifted, turning this way and that and dragging Castiel with him.  Castiel tried to sleep as well, but had little success.  Dean’s grip on him meant that his arms were still pinned. At one point, the blanket fell onto Castiel’s face, and no amount of shaking his head could get it off. Meanwhile, the vital battlefield codes were untouched and unlearned.

            In all his long existence, Castiel couldn’t recall ever being less comfortable in his own nest.

            When Dean finally got up and let him go, Castiel breathed a sigh of relief.  His body was stiff from being held for so long.  He stretched gratefully.  “Well, that was certainly eye-opening,” he admitted.  “I understand now why you don’t want to sleep with me, Dean.”

            “Not fun, is it?”

            “No, it isn’t.”  He gave his treasure an embarrassed smile.  “This is an object lesson that I won’t soon forget.  Thank you, Dean.”

            “Hey, don’t mention it.”  Dean smiled down at him.  “You hungry, little guy?”

            “Yes, actually.  I was thinking we could have...”

            “How about you let me decide what we eat?” There was no warmth in Dean’s smile. “You know, the way you do with me?”

            Castiel’s heart sank.  The lesson, it seemed, was not yet over.  He nodded.  “That’s fair. Alright, go ahead, the nest is attuned to you.”

            An odd smell filled the nest.  Castiel frowned, wondering what it was, and started towards the table.  But Dean quickly picked him up again, roughly jerking him off of his feet.  Castiel gasped, disoriented.  “Dean!  Please don’t do that!”

            “How’s it feel?”

            “I don’t like it!”

            “Yeah, well, news flash!”

            Of course.  Castiel gritted his teeth, resigned as Dean carried him to the table. He looked at what was on the table and frowned.  “What is that?”

            “Well, Cas, it’s like this.”  Dean picked up a piece of the substance, popped it into his mouth, and nodded, chewing thoughtfully.  “I was thinking about what you’ve been doing to me, how you decided what I ate, and how you made me keep eating it even when I told you I didn’t want it.  Problem is, you seem to actually like rabbit food.  So, I thought back, and picked something I know you don’t like.”  Dean had a plate of the odd food now and was sitting down, adjusting Castiel in his lap so he could pin the angel’s arms and legs. “What did you call this?  Spoiled milk solids?  Open wide for Uncle Dean!”

            Castiel eyed the thing in horror.  “No!  I’m not eating that!”

            Dean snorted.  “You honestly think you have a choice here?  Hey, you’re all about healthy eating, right?  Cheese is good for you!  It’s calcium, good for strong bones!”  He caught Castiel’s chin as the angel tried to turn his face away.  “C’mon, train going into the tunnel, chugga chugga choo choo!”

            It didn’t make sense to Castiel, but it was painfully obvious Dean fully intended to force Castiel to eat the revolting “cheese.” Castiel clenched his fists and somehow managed to open his mouth.  Dean promptly shoved the cheese into it.  Castiel gagged and involuntarily tried to spit it out.

            Dean immediately clamped his hand over Castiel’s mouth.  “No spitting! Come on, over the lips and past the gums, look out stomach, here it comes!”  Not letting go of Castiel’s mouth, Dean rubbed at his throat with a finger. “Swallow!”

            Castiel managed to swallow it.  He retched, barely keeping from throwing up.  Then he looked up to see that Dean was ready with another piece of cheese.  He quickly turned his face away.  “No!  No more!  Don’t feed that filth to me, Dean!  Stop, please!”

            “Now now, you can’t just eat one piece of cheese! Growing boys need their yum yums! Ok, here comes another bite...”

            Castiel frantically twisted his head.  “Dean, stop!  I understand!  I’m sorry I forced you.  I hadn’t thought about what this must be like for you.  But now I understand!  I’ll never do it again!  Please, stop this!”

            “Aw come on, it’s not that bad!  Open the hanger, we’re coming in for a landing, vroooom!”

            No choice.  Castiel went limp, silently opening his mouth.

            Dean fed the little angel a bit more cheese. He’d initially felt a certain satisfaction, seeing how Cas struggled to keep from spitting out the cheese.  But then Cas went limp, and the light seemed to go out of his eyes.  Now Cas opened his mouth obediently, not struggling, not making a sound.  Cas was this big angelic warrior who’d brutalized Dean. A taste of his own medicine was long overdue, but this didn’t feel like he was teaching a brute of a soldier a well-earned lesson.  The little guy was slumped in Dean’s arms, not even resisting.  It felt more like child abuse, like bullying.  And Dean quickly realized he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew all too well what this was like. “Alright,” he called, trying to sound cheerful.  “You did good, buddy.  It’s all over now.”

            “You’re finished feeding me now?”  The angel’s voice was quiet.

            Dean nodded.  “Yeah.  I’m done.”

            Cas squeezed his eyes shut and sighed.  Then he looked sadly up at Dean and opened his mouth.  Dean stared at him, confused.  Then it hit him like a ton of bricks.  Cas expected Dean to wipe off his fingers on his tongue.

            Feeling sick, Dean quickly let the little angel go, lifting him up and setting him on his feet.  Then he walked away, cradling his head in his hands.  His heart was pounding.  What the hell was he doing?!

            “Dean?  Are you alright?”

            “Yeah, buddy, I’m just...”  Dean let his hands drop and raised his face, sighing towards the ceiling.  “I’m sorry I did that to you, Cas.  I wanted you to understand how it felt, but...  I’m sorry.”

            “Are we finished, then?”

            Dean nodded.  “Yeah.”

            “Alright.  Thank you. I accept your apology.  May I please have my spell parchment back now?”

            Anger made Dean whirl around and roughly pick up the little angel.  “You son of a bitch!” he snarled, shaking Cas.  “That’s all you care about, getting back to your regular size so you can knock me around again!”

            Cas gave a little cry, his head bobbing as he was shaken.  “Please stop! Don’t hurt me, Dean, I didn’t have any intention of beating you again!”

            Dean glared at him.  Cas looked sadly back at him.  “I’m sorry,” Cas said humbly.  “I’m so, so sorry that I hurt you.”

            Dean gave him another shake.  “You have no idea what you’ve done to me!  All you’ve had here was just one little taste of it. I can’t lock a collar around your neck or brand my name into your soul the way you did me!  I can’t take you away from your whole life and then parade you on a chain in front of the people you most care about.  But you did it to me!”

            “I know, Dean.  And I’m sorry.  If there was a way I could make it right, I would.”

            “But you can’t!”

            “No.  I can’t.” Cas looked sadly down.  “If you’re going to beat me now, go ahead.  I’ve earned it, haven’t I?”

            “Beat you?!”  Dean groaned.  He lowered the little angel to the ground and then knelt down to look him in the eye.  “I’m not going to beat you, alright?  I shouldn’t even shake you!  I’m so much bigger than you are right now that I could really hurt you!  I just wish you’d understand that about me!”

            “I already understood that.”  Cas looked solemnly back at Dean, making no move to try to get away.  “And I’m so, so sorry that I hurt you!”

            Dean’s resolve broke.  He stepped away from Cas, shaking his head.  “I can’t do this.  Just... Hang on, ok?  I’ll get you your stupid spell.”

            Cas blinked at him, surprised.  “Dean?”

            “Just hang on!”  Dean was already at the shelf, fingers reaching for the spell.  He’d slid it back farther than he’d thought. He couldn’t get enough of a grip on the parchment to bring it forward, and when he tried, the roll popped loose and rolled further back.  Well, that was irritating.  Dean put a foot on the lower shelf, intending to climb up and grab the parchment.  But the shelf, apparently, wasn’t fastened down. The moment Dean’s weight went on the shelf, the whole stupid thing flipped and Dean was heading for the floor.

            He never hit it.  Tiny yet impossibly strong hands caught him, gently lowered him to the ground.  “Dean! Are you alright, my treasure?”

            Dean stared at the miniature version of Cas, seeing nothing but concern in the little angel’s eyes.  “You...  You’re still strong!” Dean squeaked, stunned.  “You still have your angel strength, even though you’re little!  You could have kicked my ass at any time!”

            “Yes, and that’s fortunate.  Otherwise you might have gotten hurt when you fell.  You shouldn’t put yourself at such risk, Dean! Here.”  Assured that Dean was alright, Cas extended his wings.  He flew up to the shelf, picked up the parchment, and fluttered back down to the ground.

            Dean stared “And you could have gotten that back at any time!” he accused.

            “Yes.”

            “Then why?”  Dean was completely confused now.  “You never once showed that you still had your strength!  You let me hold you down in the nest, let me lug you around, let me feed you...  You were even going to let me clean off my fingers on your tongue, and then you were going to let me beat you?!  Cas, why would you let me do all of that to you when you could have stopped me at any time!?”

            “Because you could never stop me.”  The parchment was in Dean’s face, Cas holding it towards him. “Here.  I suggest you put it somewhere more in reach.”

            Dean gently pushed it back to the angel.  “Use it,” he said quietly.  “Reverse the spell, Cas.  Then we’ll talk.”

            Cas cocked his head at Dean.  “You’re sure?”

            “Yeah.  I think we both learned a few things today.  Now it’s past time we talked.”

            The angel nodded. And a moment later, he was back to his normal size.


	15. Using Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas actually talk

            “Ok, first things first,” Dean announced. He’d dragged over a thick pillow and was sitting cross-legged on it to speak with Cas.  The angel was seated like he’d been before, with his legs tucked under himself as he leaned against the wall, letting Dean come to him.  Dean appreciated that.  “What went down between you and me, the shit we did to each other? I’m calling it even.  Don’t hurt me anymore, but I’m an asshole for giving it back to you.  Between the two of us, it looks like you’re the better man.”

            Cas raised an eyebrow.  “I understood why you were doing it, Dean.  And you were right.  I needed to walk a mile in your sandals before I understood you.”

            Close enough.  “Alright, we even now?”

            The angel gave a small smile and nodded.  “If you can honestly forgive me for what I’ve done to you, Dean?  Then I’ll be in your debt.  Because I don’t blame you at all for what you did to me.”

            Cas was an angel in more ways than one.  Dean cleared his throat.  “Alright then!  Next subject. We gotta talk about that parade, dude. How badly did I fuck it up?”

            Cas blinked.  “The parade itself?  Dean, you were exemplary!  Didn’t you see how the guardians took a step back when we approached?”

            “I saw it, but I didn’t know what it was about, especially since it went down after I screwed up with Sammy!”

            The angel looked incredulous.  “You didn’t screw up, Dean!  Is that what you thought?”

            It was Dean’s turn to blink.  “Dude, I went nuts trying to get to my brother!”

            “But you couldn’t get away.”

            “Which is precisely why I went nuts!”

            “But Dean, the point isn’t that you ‘went nuts’ when you realized your brother was there.  The point is that you couldn’t get away!”

            Cas had made air quotes.  He’d actually made air quotes.  For a moment, Dean was too enamored by that to process the rest of what Cas had said.  Then he frowned and shook his head.  “Wait, I don’t get it.  Last time, I took off and you got thrown out of the parade, slapped by Raph, and basically shoved into the corner with the dunce cap while the fighting continued around my brother!”

            “Because you got away, Dean.  All of that happened not because you tried to run, but because I couldn’t keep you with me!”  Cas pinched the bridge of his nose.  “You’re human, my treasure.  Humans are intelligent, but you’re not that much higher than animals.”

            “I’m not an animal, Cas!”

            “I understand that now, my treasure,” Cas soothed, raising his hands.  “But this is still the way you are viewed.  Animals are expected to misbehave now and again.  Had you fought and struggled as you did for the entire parade, you would have been seen as lesser value.  I would have been expected to correct you, with a subsequent improvement in your behavior noted.  But you didn’t, Dean.  What you did didn’t harm anything.  The important thing is that you couldn’t get away.  If anything, the fact you tried and couldn’t get free reinforced the fact that I could keep you, which actually increased your value.”

            “Man, angels are so weird, but I guess I get it,” Dean grumbled.  “So because you had me tied up and chained and I couldn’t get away, you still got the glory for having me, huh?  Well, shit!” he exclaimed when Cas nodded.  “Then I really don’t get it, Cas!  The guardians taking a step back I get because, you know, rabid human.  And I’m sure Anna was gonna give you some friendly advice about how to discipline me, probably Raphael too.  I saw the looks they gave you when they walked past. Then they moved you to the front of the line and I knew we were in trouble!  Was that because I was seen as ‘lesser value,’ then, for misbehaving?”  Dean couldn’t resist making air quotes back. “I tried to salvage it!  I realized I was messing up, and I tried to stay as close as I could to you after that.  And I’m sorry about leaning on you, but my neck was just killing me from that stupid chain hanging off of it all that time.  I knew I’d messed up big time when we got pulled up front!  That’s also when I was sure I was getting my ass kicked as soon as we got back!”

            The angel was doing that tilted head squint he did when something puzzled him.  It was an expression Dean tended to see a lot, usually directed at him.  “Dean, is that why you attacked me?  Because you expected me to beat you?”

            “Seriously?!  Dude, I got you in trouble again, to the point you got pulled out of the line and shoved up front!  Then that douchebag Raph came over dragging that poor kid, and I got the message, loud and clear!  And I gotta say, that was a seriously shitty thing to do, to hurt that poor kid just to give me an object lesson!”  He shook his head, missing the way Cas stared at him.  “Then the other angels were all talking to you and poking at me, so I’m sure you were getting all sorts of advice on how to, as you put it, discipline me! Between that and the lecture you were giving me in angelspeak the whole time you were untying me, I knew I was in for it, ok?  I attacked you because I knew you were going to beat me up again, just like you did!  Now that you’ve got some idea of how it feels, can you blame me for attacking you?!”

            Castiel groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Oh, my poor treasure!  You were so confused!”

            “Yeah, well, I’m certainly confused now!”

            Castiel looked up into the puzzled face of his beautiful little treasure and sternly resisted the urge to pull him in and cuddle him.  Dean would absolutely not appreciate it, especially not believing what he’d believed! “Dean,” he began, “I’m sorry that you didn’t understand what was being said.  Because your behavior in that parade didn’t result in punishment.  Anna moved me up the lines because I was promoted!”

            Dean stared blankly at him.

            Castiel shook his head.  Then he explained what had really happened on the parade, and the resulting promotion.  “In a victory parade, angels march in order of rank, with the most powerful angels positioned forward and to the right.  That is why Anna, my unit leader, marches at the right of the front row!”

            “And she moved you to that first row, just a few angels down from her,” Dean recalled.  “Holy shit, dude, you jumped over, like, a half a dozen other angels!”

            “Yes.  I’d already proven myself as a warrior.  Anna and Raphael were already looking at me for promotion.  That’s why Raphael came to my nest!  And then, during the parade, my treasure earned me a significant raise in rank!”  Castiel couldn’t keep his wings from arching a little.  But then reality struck and his wings drooped once more.  “It doesn’t matter.  I’ll need to speak to Anna, explain what happened and resign my new position.  Then I expect I will find myself marching considerably further back in the next parade.”

            “Dude, what the hell for?!  You’re still the same angel!”

            “But you are not the same treasure.”  Castiel nodded, seeing understanding flash across Dean’s face.  “Dean, you were the best treasure in that parade not just because I could keep you with me, but also because everyone believed you were showing me affection. Now you’ve attacked me, actually injured me!  Your value as a victory treasure now is so low that I couldn’t possibly take you on another parade!  And without a treasure valuable enough to benefit an angel of my current rank?  I’m afraid I have no choice but to step down.”

            “That’s stupid!”

            Castiel frowned.  “I apologize if our customs seem stupid to you, Dean.  Coming from someone who willingly eats spoiled milk solids, I’m afraid your qualifications to pass judgment are somewhat lacking.”

            His treasure’s beautiful face flushed.  Dean looked down, rolling his lips into his mouth. Then he surprised Castiel when he got up and moved closer, sitting so he was almost touching Castiel’s side. “Alright,” Dean announced.  “We need to communicate just a bit better. I’ll start.  I’m sorry I forced you to eat cheese.  I know how hard that was for you, dude.  I still cannot believe you let me do it!”

            “I’m sorry I forced you to eat, what do you call it, rabbit food?” Castiel said.  “I’m sorry I made you let me feed you, and I’m very sorry that I made you clean off my fingers!”

            Dean shuddered.  “Seriously, don’t do that to me anymore, ok, Cas?  I’ll even let you feed me if you just stop shoving your fingers into my mouth!”

            “But you don’t want to be fed.”

            Dean sighed.  “No.  I really don’t.  But given the choice, I’ll let you feed me rather than being forced to lick your fingers!”

            Castiel smiled down at him.  “How about I don’t do either?”

            That earned him a smile in return.  “I’d really appreciate that, Cas.  And while we’re on the subject of food, thank you for letting me have that chicken.  I know you want me to be healthy, and I’ll choke down the rabbit food, but I’d appreciate it if you’d let me have some real food at least two or three times a week?”

            “I have no right to dictate what you eat to you. It should have always been your choice.”

            Dean’s eyes went very wide.  “You...  You’re going to let me eat what I want?”

            Castiel nodded.

            Dean’s face broke into a happy grin.  The next thing Castiel knew, his treasure had jumped up and pounced on him.  Dean’s little arms were locked around the angel’s neck, his warm little body pressing against him.  “Thank you! Dude, that is so much better!”

            Castiel’s arms were around Dean before he could think twice about it.  He closed his eyes and pressed his face against his treasure without thought, holding Dean against him.  But Dean stiffened.  “Um, Cas? Please let go of me?  This is something else we need to talk about.”

            Letting go of his treasure was almost physically painful.  Castiel forced himself to let Dean go, dropping his hands to his sides.  “You don’t want me to touch you.”

            Dean had clasped his hands together in front of him and was twiddling his thumbs as he stood, eyes fixed on his hands.  “No, I don’t,” he admitted.  “I’ve never really been, you know, touchy-feely.  And getting a hug is nice, don’t get me wrong! It’s just...”  He shook his head.  “I don’t know how to explain it to you, Cas.  I know you want to cuddle me, and now I understand that me cuddling you back means the other angels consider me a better treasure.  But when you’re holding me?  I’m helpless, Cas!  You’re just so big, and I can’t get away from you.  It’s the same thing when you carry me!  You get that now, right?  How much that sucks?”

            “How much it sucks, yes, I understand that.” Castiel nodded, frowning.  “I did not care at all for being picked up and carried, especially not when you were just grabbing me unexpectedly.”

            “I shouldn’t have done that,” Dean sighed. “You didn’t realize what you were doing, but I knew exactly what that felt like!”

            “And now so do I.”

            Dean looked at the angel, thinking hard.  He took a deep breath and sighed, coming to a decision.  “Ok, let’s work this out.  I don’t want to be picked up or held or cuddled.  But I’m your pet.”

            “You’re not...”

            “I am, Cas!”  Dean raised a hand to silence Cas.  “You took me as some kind of status symbol, but my real value is based on the fact that I’m your pet.  You said yourself that I was valuable in that parade because everyone thought I was being affectionate, remember?  And now you’re saying you’re going to lose that promotion because I attacked you, which is pretty much the opposite of affection!  Bottom line is, I’m valuable as long as I’m a good, snuggly pet.  So, I’ll be a good snuggly pet!  And that means if other angels are around, you can pick me up and cuddle me all you want, ok?”

            Cas was looking at him in confusion, and Dean groaned.  The feathery idiot was so dense.  Dean stepped forward and leaned on the angel’s shoulders.  “Cas, does anyone know yet that I grabbed your knife and stabbed you?  No?  And it’s all healed now, right?  Great!  So as long as we both keep quiet about it, who’s going to know?  I won’t tell them if you won’t!”

            The blue eyes grew wide.  “You can’t be serious!”

            “Dude, I’m perfectly serious!  What they won’t know won’t hurt ‘em because you’re still the same angel, right?  You had Raph in your nest because you were being looked at for promotion long before you had me!  You took out that tough angel that hurt you before the parade because you’re a badass, not because of anything I did!  You deserve a promotion, Cas!  So you keep your mouth shut, and I’ll restrain my stabby impulses from here on out, and I’ll be a good pet for you anytime they’re watching.  As far as Anna and Raph know, nothing has changed!  You can still take me on parades, and I can be all doting and snuggly, and no one’s gonna know the difference!”

            Castiel couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Dean, I can’t withhold information from Anna!  That would be dishonest!”

            “Yes, Cas, it’s called a lie of omission and trust me, it’s fine!  Because they will never know.  I will be the perfect pet every time you take me out, alright?”  Dean flinched, his smile fading as he stood up and took a step back.  “Are you going to have to tie me up and chain me every time you take me out?  That’s just for parades, right?  You’re not going to have to do it every single time?”

            Castiel shrugged.  “I don’t know, Dean.  Possibly?”

            His treasure shuddered.  “I got no one but myself to blame for that, so I guess I don’t have the right to complain.  But if you could maybe put in a word with Anna or Raph, see if they’ll maybe give me another chance?”

            Castiel cocked his head again.  “You won’t run away?”

            “And go where?”  His treasure looked desperately unhappy.  “I’m trapped, Cas!  I can’t put my family in danger, so I can’t go home.  And I’ve got nowhere else to go!  It’s like you said, I’m yours forever.”  Dean abruptly looked up, that familiar fire in his green eyes.  “But that doesn’t mean this has to suck forever, right?  I know you want me for a companion, and you want to hold and cuddle me.  So here’s the deal.  If you work with me, give me choices and respect my boundaries?  Then I’ll let you cuddle me.  All I ask is that you don’t just grab me!  Ask me, let me decide, respect my wishes.  And let me go when I tell you to!  Will you do that?”

            Castiel sucked in his breath, daring to hope. “You’ll let me hold you?”  He opened his arms towards his treasure. “Can I hold you now?”

            Dean looked away.  Then he nodded.

            Gently, Castiel.  This was a big step for Dean, and the human was clearly still afraid of him. He was cringing as though he expected Castiel to strike him instead of cuddle him, but he didn’t pull away or struggle.  His treasure was pliant in Castiel’s arms as the angel drew him in.  Castiel gently settled Dean against his chest, bringing his treasure’s legs in so that Dean was seated in his lap with Castiel’s arms around him.  “Are you alright like this, Dean?”

            “Yeah.”  Dean was breathing quickly, and his face was pale.  But he wasn’t struggling.  And a short time later, he was actually leaning against the angel’s chest.  “Ok, this isn’t so bad,” he admitted.  “Not so long as I know you’ll let me go when I want loose.  That was the worst part, you know?  It wasn’t so much that you were snuggling me, although, dude, you seriously overdo it and let’s not talk about all the kissing!  The worst part was that there wasn’t anything I could do to make you stop and let me go.  You’d just grab me and I’d have to put up with it for as long as you wanted!”

            “You were never given a choice.”

            “No, I wasn’t.”

            “You have one now.”

            His treasure gave a little sigh.  He shifted a bit, tucking his head up under Castiel’s chin.  “We can work with this, Cas.  I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not going to keep trying to find a way to get back home, some way to keep Sammy safe.  But if I have to live here, I can handle this.”  He clutched at Castiel’s tunic.  “We still need to discuss one more thing, though.”

            “What’s that, my treasure?”

            “Sleeping arrangements.  I can’t stand to be pinned down in the nest anymore, ok, Cas?  And sleeping on the floor in the corner isn’t really comfortable, but it’s probably better than you rolling over on me!”

            “You’re afraid that, even if I don’t hold you, I’ll roll on top of you?”

            “Wouldn’t you be?”

            “Yes, I would.”  Castiel smiled.  “But I may have a solution!”

            His solution worked even better than Castiel would have hoped for.  Dean didn’t seem to know what to do at first when Castiel shrunk himself down to human size and climbed into the nest.  He finally settled on sleeping next to Castiel, giving the angel firm instructions to keep his hands to himself.  Of course. As much as he longed to hold his treasure, Dean’s wishes would be respected.  Just having Dean near him, willingly lying close in the nest?  That was enough for now.  Castiel was smiling as he drifted off to sleep.  He still wasn’t happy about not being honest with Anna. But at least, when it came to relations with his treasure, he was making definite progress.

            Dean lay in the nest, staring at the mop of dark hair in front of him.  Maybe he was being too harsh on Cas?  Dean hadn’t been lying when he’d told Cas he wanted left alone.  And Cas was honoring his wishes.  But still, the angel had tried so hard tonight.  Cas was so lonely, so desperate for affection.  Didn’t he deserve something for his efforts? After all, just because Dean couldn’t deal with Cas holding him yet, there was no reason Dean couldn’t hold Cas, right?

            Alright.  Dean scooted closer and put a tentative hand on Cas’s arm.  The angel kept sleeping.  Emboldened, Dean scooched closer still and slid his arm down Cas’s arm, letting it rest on Cas’s waist.  This time Cas shifted a bit.  Dean froze, but that was it.  The angel’s breathing evened out once more.  Right.  Dean took a deep breath, moved until he was pressed up against Cas’s back, and gently slipped his arm around Cas’s waist.

            Cas shifted again.  He mumbled something in angelspeak and brought up a hand, putting it over Dean’s.  Dean froze, unsure of what the angel would do.  But that was it.  Cas, Dean realized, was still asleep. In fact, the angel actually seemed to be in an even deeper sleep than before.  Dean’s presence, his touch, was apparently comforting.  That made Dean smile.

            Dean most certainly was not actually spooning Cas. When he adjusted his head on the pillow and his face was against the back of the angel’s neck, that was just to get comfy.  It obviously worked.  Dean promptly drifted off to sleep, and experienced the best sleep he’d had since Cas had first taken him into the nest.

            Funny what using your words could do.


	16. Good morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean's morning goes much better

            “Dean?”

            “Hmm?”

            “I’d like to get up now, as I really do need to learn those codes.  Will you let me go?”

            “Huh?”  Dean opened his eyes.  He couldn’t see anything.  His face, he realized, was still pressed against the back of the neck of a human-sized Cas.  His right arm was cinched tight around the angel’s waist, and somehow, as he slept, his other arm had crept under Cas’s neck and was across Cas’s collarbones, gripping the angel’s shoulder.  For some embarrassing reason, he was holding Cas tight against him and, worst of all, actually nuzzling into the angel’s neck.  “Shit.  Shit! Sorry!” he called, quickly letting Cas go.

            Cas rolled over so he could prop himself up on his elbows and regarded Dean with a small smile.  “Don’t be sorry.  I liked that! I slept quite well, and would very much like to do it again!”

            Dean’s face flamed.  “That’s not something you do with another guy, ok, Cas?  I was sound asleep and...  Aw hell.”  He rubbed at his face.  “Go study your codes.  Can I poof in breakfast?”

            Cas cocked an eyebrow.  “Poof?”

            “Yeah, you know, magic?”  Dean wiggled his fingers towards where the table usually appeared.

            “You want me to attune the nest to you?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Of course.”

            Dean had been craving a stack of pancakes.  He dug in.

            Cas was already nose-deep in some scroll covered in angelspeak.  His brow was furled in concentration.  Dean shook his head.  “Sammy’s a nerd,” he offered.  “He’s always into books, with pretty much the same expression you’ve got on your face there. Never thought I’d meet a nerd angel, though.”

            A set of confused blue eyes looked up over the scroll at him.  “Nerd angel?”

            Dean chuckled.  He waved Cas away and went back to his pancakes.  The table was annoying.  He had to stand on his tiptoes and stretch to reach the butter and syrup on the gigantic table.  Well, that was stupid.  The nest was attuned to him, right?  Dean closed his eyes and focused, imagining a more normal-sized table.

            A loud crash made him jump and open his eyes.  He saw good things and bad.  The good thing was that he’d succeeded in making a normal-sized table. The bad thing was that the food the table had been loaded with hadn’t adjusted to the new size.  The floor of the nest was now covered with broken dishes and tumbled food, syrup leaking everywhere.  “Aw, shit!”

            Dean froze, not daring to look back at Cas.  He’d just made a horrible mess, and interrupted Cas again when he was trying to learn some important angel shit.  Would the angel be angry, beat Dean again?  The silence behind him betrayed nothing.  Dean ducked his head.  “Sorry, Cas.”

            Cas made an odd noise.  Then there was more noise from behind him.  Cas was... laughing?

            Dean dared to look back.  Cas was still seated back on a cushion near the nest, his scroll in hand.  He’d rocked back on his heels, tilted his head back, and was laughing in unfettered delight.  Cas shook his head, his eyes bright as he looked at Dean.  “You?  Are a menace to clean nests everywhere!”

            Dean smiled.  He raised his hands.  “Guilty. I’ll clean it up.”

            “Oh, you most certainly will!  You made the mess, and I’m not about to clean it for you.  You’ll find cleaning supplies in the restroom.”

            Dean eyed the angel.  Cas was shaking his head again, going back to his scroll with a smile still on his face. He really was handsome, never more so than he was now.  His cheeks were flushed from laughter, his eyes shining and deep, deep blue.  Dean realized he was staring and forced himself to look away.  He got busy cleaning up the mess, wondering what the hell was wrong with him?  This was the same angel that had taken him away, beaten the shit out of him, and treated him like an animal.  Just a moment ago, he’d been terrified Cas was going to hurt him again over the mess he’d made.  But for some reason, more and more he was finding himself drawn to the angel. Stockholm syndrome?  Maybe.

            Dean considered the question as he mopped up syrup and milk.  Maybe it was just because Cas was still human sized? And of course what he’d done, letting Dean act the way he had when he’d been mini-Cas, had hit him hard.  Was that intentional?  Cas was a warrior, after all.  He was all about battle strategy and stuff, right?  What he’d done had certainly gotten Dean’s attention. And Cas had already admitted that Dean being affectionate towards him increased his worth.  So what did it mean to the angel that he’d awakened with Dean draped all over him in his sleep?  That was embarrassing as hell.  Then clueless Cas just casually announcing that he’d liked it?  Dean’s cheeks flamed.  If it had been strategy, then shrinking himself and letting Dean abuse him for a bit had been a master stroke.  Still, going that small had been Dean’s idea!  Hadn’t it?  Just how good of a tactician was Cas, anyway?  What if the whole thing was just part of Cas’s plan to restore Dean’s value as a treasure?  He’d admitted that it had been Dean appearing to be showing affection to him in that stupid parade that had sealed his promotion.  He’d even said that Dean attacking him back at the nest was enough to not only cost him his promotion, but maybe even demote him!  Cas had every reason to do whatever it took to put the shine back on his treasure.  And he’d succeeded, hadn’t he?  Dean had already agreed to play the role around the other angels.  Now here they were, playing house in the nest as well!

            His thoughts were troubling.  Dean finished cleaning up the mess and then had breakfast.  He studied Castiel as he ate, watching as Cas did his homework. The angel’s lips moved slightly as he read, his face set in a frown of concentration.  Ok, he was attractive.  Whatever.  And yeah, Cas had come a long way from the giant flying douche he used to be.  But Dean needed to keep in mind that, at any given moment, Cas could revert right back to giant douchebag.  Then Dean would end up with his hands tied and a chain around his neck again.  Dean reached up, touched his collar.  This, he told himself, was reality.  He was still a collared pet.  And it brought up another question.

            Dean waited until Cas finished studying and put his homework away.  Then he approached.  “Hey, Cas?  About that soulmarking thing.  You’re going to be expected to do that, aren’t you?”

            “Yes, especially since I already started.”  Cas indicated Dean’s chest.  “Already my mark is faded, and I can barely sense you.  I should have renewed it by now.”

            “Cas, I really, really do not want you to do that to me anymore,” Dean began. “You hurt me very badly!  Isn’t there another way?”

            “No,” Castiel sighed.  “But it doesn’t matter.  If you don’t want me to Grace mark you, then I won’t.”  He looked up and smiled.  “Now, how about a trip to the baths?”

            Dean knew he was changing the subject, but he said nothing.  Castiel was grateful.  Of course, since Dean didn’t want to be Grace marked, that wasn’t surprising.  Castiel returned to his regular size and thoughtlessly picked his treasure up.

            “Cas!  Don’t do that!  Put me down!”

            Castiel grimaced and immediately put Dean down.  “Forgive me,” he said humbly.  “That was thoughtless.”

            Fortunately, Dean wasn’t upset.  He actually smiled at Castiel.  “Force of habit, I get it.  Alright, it’s bath time!”

            They must have made quite the pair.  Castiel strolled out to the baths as he usually did.  Just behind him and on the right, Dean trotted along with him, his little bowed legs scrambling to keep up.  But Dean was still smiling when they reached the bath.  Castiel’s wings arched in pride.  His treasure was staying with him of his own will, not requiring any sort of restraint.  And other angels had taken notice.  They were watching, nodding in approval as Dean followed him right into the bathhouse, removed his tunic when Castiel did, and waded right in.

            “Do you need any help washing yourself, my treasure?” he called casually, beginning the task of bathing himself.

            “I’ll scrub your back if you scrub mine?”

            “Of course!”

            It occurred to Castiel that he’d never watched Dean bathe before.  Always before, he’d carried his treasure to the baths and washed him, then washed himself and had Dean clean the base of his wings.  Apparently, he’d been missing out.  Dean seemed to enjoy bathing a great deal.  He ducked beneath the cleansing fluid and scrubbed at his hair, face, and body. There was a great deal of splashing involved.  Then his treasure actually began to sing to himself a little, grinning and singing louder when he noticed Castiel watching.  It was adorable.  Then without warning he pounced on Castiel, allowing the angel to wash his back.

            “My turn!”

            Naked and wet, Dean had always been slippery.  Now that Castiel wasn’t trying to force him, Dean easily slipped out of the angel’s grip and ducked under Castiel’s wing.  His hands immediately went to work, digging into the feathers at the base of his wings, cleaning and pulling out loose feathers.

            “I do so hope I have a chance for a human treasure from my next battle!”

            Castiel glanced over at an angel who had been admiring Dean and forced himself to smile.  “Humans make wonderful treasures, but only if you treat them well.  Let them make their own choices and they can be very affectionate!”

            She blinked at him in surprise.  “Their own choices?  That seems foolish.  They’re animals, how can they make their own choices?”

            “They are very far from animals.”  Castiel smiled reassuringly at Dean.  His treasure had ducked back under Castiel’s wing and was eyeing the other angel. Dean ducked his head down, going still when she petted him.  His green eyes looked pleadingly up at Castiel.  Understanding, Castiel opened his arms and Dean immediately moved to him, letting Castiel sweep him up and clinging tightly, his head on Castiel’s shoulder.  “As you can see, Dean is very affectionate,” Castiel explained, cuddling his treasure. “But he’s affectionate because he’s happy, because I’m restricting him as little as possible.  That, unfortunately, is something I had to learn.”

            The other angel hummed.  “I’ll bear that in mind, should I get the opportunity to select one for a treasure. Thank you for your advice, Castiel.”

            “Of course.”

            “What the hell was that all about?” Dean wanted to know.  He’d had no idea what the two angels were saying in angelspeak, but was sure Cas had said his name a time or two.

            “We were just discussing human care,” Castiel explained.  He started out of the cleansing fluid, still carrying Dean.  “I was telling her that the best way to care for a human treasure is to give them choices, not try to force them.”

            “Really?”  Dean looked up at him.  “The best way to care for a human is not to take them in the first place, Cas.  But I guess, if it’s going to happen, at least let the poor saps keep a little dignity!”

            Dean still hadn’t asked to be put down.  He was still clinging to Castiel, letting the angel carry him over to select clean tunics for them both.  Castiel dared to pull him in for a kiss.

            Dean made gagging noises.  “Gah, stop kissing me!”  But he was smiling.  His treasure was smiling.

            His smile grew even brighter when Castiel handed him a pair of sandals.  “Would you like to go to another part of Heaven and get some exercise, Dean?”

            “You bet I would!”

            Dean accepted the sandals eagerly, had them on in a flash, and was reaching up, ready to be picked up with no complaint at all.  Castiel quickly flew them to another soul’s heaven, this one looking like a forested park.  Dean jogged for some time, letting Castiel gently steer him away from the walls when he reached the boundary.  The angel even jogged with him.  Dean complained that Castiel’s longer legs gave him an unfair advantage.  But Castiel was starting to realize that this complaint, like his complaints about being kissed, had no real substance to it. Dean, he understood, was enjoying Castiel’s company.  It was a wonderful morning, without a doubt the best one he’d spent yet with his beautiful treasure.

            But then suddenly Anna was there, looking grave.  “Castiel!” she barked.  “Come with me.  Raphael has called a meeting.  We’ve just suffered a serious defeat, and the entire cause is in jeopardy!”

            Castiel nodded and immediately picked up an anxious Dean.  “Sorry,” he whispered to his treasure as he spread his wings to follow his leader.  “But we’ve got an emergency.  I knew there was a battle, one our division wasn’t involved in.  And apparently, something’s gone wrong.”

            “How wrong?”

            Cas was frowning, his arms wrapped protectively around Dean as he flew. That, and the look on the bitchy boss lady’s face, made it seem like things were very wrong indeed.  And Cas’s next words sealed the deal.

            “If we’re not careful, we could very well lose this war!”


	17. Strategy Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel attends a strategy session, where Raphael gets a little too hands-on with Dean for comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I clicked on that "statistics" button and got a shock. I saw the bookmarks and the kudos and thought that was cool, but I hadn't realized that 118 people liked this story enough to sub to it? The hell is wrong with you people LOL! Work's been stupid busy so I haven't had a lot of time to write, but if a hundred people are getting emails every time I post, I guess I'll get my ass in gear a bit more and try to write more frequently. Have a longer chapter. Should answer some of the questions people have asked in the comments. Thx, guys, I'm crazy flattered about this.

            Dean was looking at a room full of very unhappy angels, but the bulk of his attention was on the only other human in the room.  The boy Raphael had taken from the defeated angels was in the archangel’s lap.  Raph was holding him close, stroking the boy’s hair to try to calm himself.  And the boy was badly bruised.  He was sitting sideways in the archangel’s lap, his legs dangling off the side of Raph’s chair at the big table and the archangel’s arm around his waist, leaning his head dejectedly against Raph’s chest. Dean had squirmed until Cas put him down and had come around the table to talk to the boy.  “Hi,” he began.  “I’m Dean.”

            The kid seemed surprised to be spoken to.  He stared at Dean for a moment before answering.  “I’m Stanley,” he replied in a low voice.  “Why are you loose?”

            “I didn’t want to be held.”  Dean frowned up at Stanley.  “He beat you up?”

            Stanley nodded.  “I was bad. When he first took me from my old angel, I asked him to let me go see her.”

            Dean stared.  “And that’s bad?!”

            Another nod.  “My archangel had already put this on me,” he explained, indicating the silver band around his neck.  “I knew that he owned me now, and I shouldn’t have asked that.  But my old angel had told me, both times she had to put me up for Raphael, that Raphael didn’t like humans, that he wouldn’t want me and I’d be able to go back to our nest.  So when Raphael took me, it was a shock for her.  I wanted to tell her goodbye.  But once Raphael banded me, I should have forgotten about her.  I belong to him now.  He was right to beat me.”

            “No he isn’t!” Dean hissed, leaning closer to whisper to the other human. “These giant flying dicks don’t get to beat on us, alright?!”

            Stanley frowned at him in confusion.  “Of course they do, Dean!  My old angel beat me any time I was bad, and that’s how I learned.  She did things differently than Raphael.  She didn’t hold me as much as he does, or want as much of my attention.  I’m learning. Eventually, I’ll be able to give him exactly what he wants, and he won’t hurt me anymore.”

            Dean’s heart went out to Stanley.  “You miss your old angel?”

            To his surprise, Stanley shook his head.  “I wanted to say goodbye to her because I saw her crying when Raphael took me. I felt sorry for her.”

            “You were crying, too!”

            “I was afraid.  A new angel was claiming me.  I knew I’d have to learn what he wanted, that I’d be beaten again until I did.  With my old angel, I knew what she wanted so she hardly beat me at all.  Now I had to start over!”

            “That’s it?”  Dean couldn’t wrap his head around this.  “Don’t you want to go back to your old angel?”

            “One angel is the same as another, Dean, even an archangel.  They all want the same sort of things from us.  If we’re good pets for them, do what they tell us? Then we’ll be fed and they won’t hurt us too much.”

            Dean shook his head.  “You poor kid.”

            “I’m alright.”  Stanley’s voice was almost a whisper.

            “You’re not alright!” Dean hissed.  “You’ve got a black eye, you’ve got bruises on your arms, God knows where else you’re beat up.  Why didn’t he heal you?”

            Stanley looked surprised.  “Angels can heal?”

            Dean clutched the corner of the table for support.  “They’ve never healed you?!  What the hell?!”  Suddenly Dean knew how lucky he’d been that it had been Cas who’d taken him.  He shook his head.  “How’d they get you, and how long have you been a treasure?”

            “My old angel knocked down my house, and I was caught in the rubble.  I really thought I was going to die.  She pulled up the wall I was stuck under and pulled me out.  I thought she’d saved me.  But then she put her claiming band on me and took me away.  That was, um...”  Stanley’s face scrunched up as he tried to think.  “It must have been a month ago?  She marked my soul every other day, and it’s been about a dozen times, so almost a month.  What about you?”

            “I honestly have no idea,” Dean admitted.  “Cas claimed me after I got skewered by a bit of metal from a garage he demolished.  I couldn’t believe he took me!  I didn’t know they took people.”

            “Me either.  But it doesn’t matter.  They took us, didn’t they?  And now we belong to them, and we’ll never, ever be free again.”

            “Hey, don’t give up completely, ok?” Dean offered.  “Have you tried talking to Raph, seeing if you can’t work something out?”

            Stanley gave him a look.  “Talking to Raph?  I don’t speak their language!”

            “But they speak ours, or at least Cas does.  I’m betting Raph understands you.  Try it, ok?  What do you have to lose?”

            Stanley only shrugged.  “Alright.”

            Dean smiled.  It was a start, at least.  Maybe there was a way he could help Stanley, try to keep him from going catatonic like Charlie?  He’d have to talk to Cas.  Cas would know what, if anything, could be done.

            Stanley gave a little gasp as Raph pulled him, dragging him across the archangel’s lap so he was seated on Raph’s other leg, facing away from Dean. Well!  That was rude.  Dean saw Raph’s eyes on him as he finished adjusting Stanley and gave him a dirty look. Apparently, he wasn’t supposed to be talking to Stanley.  Whatever.

            Dean was just about to storm off in disgust when the archangel’s massive grabby hand seized his arm.  Dean yelped in surprise.  Raphael lifted him up, plopping Dean down on his lap in the spot Stanley had just been. Then the giant arm was around Dean’s waist, pulling him close against the archangel.  Dean struggled wildly.  “Let go of me, motherfucker!”

            “Dean!”

            Dean immediately froze, his eyes going to Cas.  Cas’s voice had been a sharp note of command, but the angel’s blue eyes held a touch of fear.  Dean caught the look, gave a small nod.  Then he forced himself to relax.  Fine.  He’d be damned if he was going to cuddle up to Raphael the way poor Stanley was doing behind him, but apparently he needed to spend some time as a lap pet after all.

            At least he was close to Stanley.  He reached back, took the other boy’s hand.  He heard the sharp, surprised intake of breath from behind him. And then Stanley was squeezing his hand. Dean’s heart went out to him.  How long had it been since poor Stanley had received even this much human contact?

            “This is a setback, but our situation is not hopeless,” Raphael declared in Enochian.  Now that he had two humans to cuddle, the archangel seemed considerably calmer.

            “Of course not, archangel,” Anna replied confidently.  She indicated the glowing hologram that hovered above the table. “If we reinforce the lines here, that could allow us to push further into this territory in the west.”

            “The southern lands are certainly lost,” another angel grumbled.

            “Yes.”  Raphael drew the humans tight against him, causing Stanley to whimper and Dean to grimace. “That was an unexpected blow, and a difficult one to recover from!  Already, the enemy’s forces are finishing a victory march through that territory.  It was supposed to be secure!  How did this happen?”

            “They claim they were invaded by one of our angels,” an angel across from Castiel reported.  “It’s preposterous!”

            Castiel grew still.  “What did they say?”

            “That one of our angels, in full parade dress, crossed the border and attacked a group of guardians!  Why would any of our angels do such a thing?”

            “Lies!”

            “Outrageous!”

            “Guardians cannot be trusted!”

            Castiel looked hard at the map and cringed.  It wasn’t a lie, not entirely.  The lost territory, he finally realized, was adjacent to the spot he’d accidentally crossed the border, after his fight with Dean.  Castiel was undoubtedly the angel they were speaking of! But he hadn’t attacked any guardians. The guardians had attacked him, while he’d been unarmed!  Castiel’s wings rose once more, indignant.  He took a breath to tell his archangel the truth.  But then his eyes fell on Dean.

            Raphael had brought Dean up until his back was pressed against the archangel’s chest, holding Castiel’s treasure next to his own.  Raphael was brooding as he listened to his angels, his hands absently caressing the two humans.  Dean’s eyes were fixed on Castiel.  The trust in their emerald depths made Castiel pause.  Dean had told him to lie.  If Castiel spoke up now, told Raphael the truth about what had happened at the border, he’d also have to explain why he’d been there in the first place. And that would mean exposing the truth about what had happened with Dean back at his nest, giving up his promotion, or worse, facing severe punishment for not immediately reporting what had happened!  Raphael could banish him, take Castiel’s treasures for himself...

            Castiel froze, his eyes locked on Dean.  His treasure was looking up at the map, apparently resigned to being held now. Castiel’s claiming band gleamed around his neck, but Raphael could so easily remove it, toss Castiel’s claim aside and put his own in its stead.  The thought of another angel’s name on a band around Dean’s neck made Castiel shudder. He had no doubt Raphael would take Dean. What angel wouldn’t want Castiel’s beautiful, wonderful treasure?  Just look at how the archangel was cuddling Dean now!  Raphael would take his treasure, claim Dean as his own, and banish Castiel.  And somehow, the idea of being banished, thrown out of Heaven and abandoned to wander alone forever wasn’t nearly as bad as the idea that Dean could be claimed by Raphael, that he might never see his treasure again.

            No. Dean was right.  “As far as Anna and Raph know, nothing has changed!  You can still take me on parades, and I can be all doting and snuggly, and no one’s gonna know the difference!”  That’s what Dean had said.  It was the reason Dean had made such a dramatic change, why he’d stopped fighting Castiel and had held him so close last night, been so sweet and kind and loving this morning.  The secret they shared had given Castiel his treasure in a way he’d never had Dean before, not as a possession or a status symbol, but as something else.  When Dean smiled at him now, Castiel felt as if his heart would burst from happiness.  And oddly enough, every time he looked at his treasure now, being held on Raphael’s lap?  It felt as if something twisted like an angel blade inside of Castiel.  To his surprise, he found himself fighting back the urge to run up to Raphael and tear Dean out of his arms, to flare his wings aggressively at his archangel and demand that Raphael keep his hands off of Castiel’s treasure.  The very idea was scandalous.  Imagine! An angel, defying his own archangel!

            Castiel sternly told himself to stop this, stop these traitorous thoughts and no longer feel that odd, angry feeling when he looked at his treasure on Raphael’s lap.  Oddly enough, it didn’t seem to work.  Strange. Maybe he could talk about it with Dean later?  Once he had his treasure back, once Dean was in Castiel’s arms where he belonged, perhaps Dean could explain these odd feelings?  Ah, that was better.  The thought of holding his treasure again made the hurtful, angry feelings go away and returned the warm, happy ones.  Castiel recalled the way Dean had let Castiel hold him last night.  He could still remember the soft, warm little body in his arms, leaning against his chest.  The way Dean’s tiny fingers had played with Castiel’s tunic.  Then this morning, waking up with their positions reversed, finding himself in Dean’s arms?  That had been every bit as good as it had been when his treasure had willingly let him hold him!  Castiel hadn’t understood why Dean had reacted so strangely, but no matter. Would Dean perhaps want to hold Castiel again tonight?  Castiel would like that very much.  Maybe Dean might let Castiel hold him if he stayed human sized?  That was a good idea!  Suddenly, Castiel found himself looking forward to night.

            “Castiel’s team can handle that.”

            Castiel was jarred out of his happy thoughts.  He looked up to see Anna smiling confidently at him.  “Castiel is new to his position, but he’s one of my best fighters.  If he leads the charge, I’m sure we’ll be successful!”

            “Very well.  Castiel, your team will take point,” Raphael instructed.  “Anna, I’ll rely on you to select two more teams to back him up. Once Castiel’s group breaks through the lines, bring the rest of your division to attack here, here, and here.”

            Fortunately for Castiel, the map was lighting up in response to the archangel’s thoughts.  He quickly got his head back in the game, nodding as he received his orders.

            “Anna, once your division has broken the lines, press forward to these points.” More areas lit up on the map.  “Once these strongholds are broken, we’ll be able to claim this territory and open the way for a stronger push forward!”

            Castiel frowned as he studied the figures.  What he was being asked to do would be difficult, at best, to pull off. Assuming he succeeded with the initial attack, which he fully intended to do, the following push into enemy territory was risky, especially with what he was seeing.  “With respect, archangel, are you certain this is the best place for our attack?” he asked, inclining his head to Raphael.  He pointed at the map.  “The enemy can send reinforcements very quickly.  And if they travel this route, they could potentially flank us.  Our entire division could be surrounded!”

            Raphael frowned, studying the map.  “You’re right,” he said after a moment.  “But I’m afraid it’s a chance I’ll have to take.  This is the only weak point in their lines, and our best chance to make a hard thrust into the enemy’s territory.  If we can win this engagement, we’ll be striking a blow that will leave the enemy reeling!  This is a large human settlement, with hundreds of soul collateral.  And if we can establish a foothold here, it can set us up for a direct assault on a major human city.  Millions of potential souls!”  He shook his head, looking from Castiel to Anna.  “I’m aware of the risks.  But I’m ordering you go ahead with the attack anyway.”

            Castiel bowed his head, murmuring “Yes, archangel” in time with his leader. Anna’s lips were pinched tightly together.  She knew the risks, of course.  Already, her eyes were moving over the map, planning out their attack and trying to come up with tactics that could lead to victory.  Castiel let himself relax a little.  Anna was a sound tactician.  Raphael had chosen wisely when he’d selected her division for this mission.  So long as Castiel could break through the initial lines, clear the way for the rest of her division, she would find a way to make this engagement a success.

            Raphael issued a few more orders, put his plans in motion, and dismissed his angels.  Castiel rose and moved to the head of the table to reclaim his treasure.  Dean, he was proud to see, had kept his word. He’d stayed still and calm and let Raphael hold him, despite how much Castiel knew Dean hated being handled by other angels.  But Castiel could see that Dean had reached his limit.  The green eyes pleaded with him even as his treasure stretched his little hands imploringly towards Cas.

            “Your treasure knows whose claiming band he wears,” Raphael noted, letting Castiel take Dean.  “Something my own needed to have reinforced recently.”

            “Of course, archangel.”  Castiel paused, noting the other human’s bruises.  “If I may offer a suggestion?  Your human may be more affectionate if you heal him.”

            “Oh?”  Raphael touched his treasure’s forehead.  The human gave a little sigh of relief, blinking in surprise at the archangel. Then he smiled.  He really was a beautiful human, not so lovely as Dean, but beautiful in his own right.  And now he leaned gratefully against the archangel, smiling up at Raphael.

            Naturally Raphael was delighted.  He gathered up his treasure in both arms, his pleased smile growing wider as his human immediately threw his arms around the archangel’s neck. “You really are remarkable with humans, Castiel!”

            “Not really,” Castiel said humbly.  “It’s just that humans are far more intelligent than we give them credit for. Talk to them, tell them what it is you want, and reward them frequently.  Punish them as little as possible.  All of those things will make a difference in how they respond to you.”

            “I’ll remember that.”  Raphael’s eyes had grown soft as he looked down at his treasure.  Then he looked up at Castiel and nodded.  “Good luck in your fight, Castiel.”

            “Thank you.”  Castiel bowed before his archangel.  Then he quickly carried Dean out and started flying.

            “You told him something about Stanley,” Dean guessed.  Dean was clinging to Castiel as they flew as always, his eyes tightly shut and his face pressed against the angel.

            “I’m trying to be a good ambassador for the proper care of humans.”

            “Well, that’s good, to a point.  I’m glad that guys like Stanley might get a little help.  Charlie’s probably past the point of no return, but Stan’s only been a treasure for a couple weeks.  Maybe if you keep giving Raph good advice, he might not turn out like her?”

            “I’ll try, Dean.”  He gently rubbed Dean’s back.  “At least now, Raphael knows that treating his treasure well results in an increase in Stanley’s affection.”

            “Yeah.  And that’s kind of fifty-fifty on the good and bad scale.  That other angel back at the bath was asking you about me too, wasn’t she?”

            “Yes.  She said she hoped she’d have a chance to claim a human treasure.”

            “And there’s the problem!  Cas, you’ve kind of started a fad here, buddy, and now that Raph’s bought into it, all the angels want human pets!  That means more poor suckers are gonna get dragged up here with collars locked around their necks...”

            “It’s not a collar, Dean, it’s a claiming band!”

            Dean opened his eyes long enough to give Castiel a look.  “It’s a piece of metal that you locked around my neck that signifies I belong to you.  How is it not a collar?”

            “I had a collar around your neck at the parade, Dean,” Castiel argued.  “It kept you chained to my side.  That was a collar!  My claiming band doesn’t confine you in any way!”

            “Can I go home with it on?” Dean challenged.  “Can I ever be free again?  Cas, I’m sorry, buddy, but your claiming band isn’t really any different than that chain because as long as it’s locked around my neck, I can’t ever get away from you.  That’s why I hate it, why I wish you could take it off of me!”

            That silenced Castiel.  He’d never considered that aspect of his claiming band before.  But Dean was right.  The claiming band with his name that Castiel was so proud of was indeed a collar.  It marked Dean as Castiel’s treasure, keeping him bound to Castiel just as surely as the chain had.

            “So what was the big hubub about?” Dean asked, changing the subject.  “I saw the fancy glowing map.  You guys planning some big ass kicking party?”

            “We’re planning an attack, yes,” Castiel said.  He’d arrived at the nest, and Dean immediately started squirming to get down.  Castiel reluctantly let him go.  Be patient. Dean had just been held against his will and needed some freedom now.  Soon enough, his treasure would agree to be held again.

            “Well, good luck with that,” Dean said, oblivious.  “Say, do you think you could arrange a playdate or something, let me see Stan a bit more?  I held his hand while Raph held us and that seemed to help him.  Maybe if he spends some more time with me, I could, I dunno, help keep him sane?”

            “There is no need for you to spend any more time with Raphael!”

            Dean blinked in surprise.  Cas was scowling fiercely.  His wings had flared in an aggressive show, his fists were clenched, and he was stalking around in the nest.  Dean grinned. “Holy shit, Cas, are you jealous? You are!  You’re jealous that Raph was holding me!  Aww, that’s cute!”

            “It is not cute!  I don’t know what came over me, but when I saw Raphael holding you, I felt, I don’t know, strange.  Angry, hurt, possessive?”

            “You were jealous!”  Dean couldn’t help but laugh.  “Hey, don’t worry, Cas.  Your big feathery ass is the only one that gets to keep me, right?”

            “As long as Anna’s division remains victorious, yes.”

            Dean’s humor vanished immediately.  “What’s that mean?”

            “Dean, Raphael obtained his treasure as a captured victory surrender,” Cas told him. “Stanley belonged to another angel, an enemy leader.  That angel had to surrender him as a tribute to Raphael when we defeated them.  Once Raphael selected Stanley, it was a simple matter of taking off his old claiming band and applying Raphael’s.  Stanley’s soul was marked, but not permanently.  And it appeared as though Raphael has already started altering that mark, replacing it with his own.  Soon, no one will be able to tell that Raphael wasn’t the one who initially took his treasure.”

            “Ok, that sucks, but what’s it got to do with me?”

            “I am a leader now.  And we are about to go into a very dangerous mission.  If we fail, and the enemy is able to push back and claim the territory Anna holds for Raphael?  Then as a leader, I too will have to put my best treasure up for tribute.”

            Dean froze.  “You mean you gotta give me up?!”

            Cas nodded.  “You are my most valuable treasure, Dean.  I’ll have to put you up with the treasures of the other leaders, surrender you as a tribute to my new archangel.  Your soul is barely marked.  What little I’ve done is fading.  It would be a simple matter for him to take you, replace your claiming band, and Grace mark you for himself.”

            “No!”  Dean shook his head.  “No, no no! No marking me for himself!  Ok, what’s it going to take for you to permanently mark my soul so he can’t take me?”

            “Time, and repeated application.  But don’t worry, Dean.  You asked me not to do that to you, so I would never...”

            “Do it!”  Dean ran to the angel and clutched at his tunic.  “Cas, Raph didn’t even think to heal Stanley until you apparently told him to do it.  If another angel takes me, I’ll end up a zombie like Charlie fast!  I don’t want anyone else to take me, alright?  So do it!  Mark my soul, whatever you have to do.  Just please, Cas!  Don’t let anyone else take me!”

            “Dean, are you sure?”

            Dean was trembling.  He wouldn’t meet Castiel’s eyes.  But he nodded.  “Yeah. Just hurry up and get it over with, before I lose my nerve.”

            Castiel felt honored.  “If you don’t fight me, if you allow this?  The pain will be considerably less.”  He hesitated.  “May I pick you up, hold you while I do this?  Would that be easier than holding you down?”

            Dean nodded.  “Yeah.”

            Castiel gathered Dean up.  Dean was trembling even harder now, his eyes wide with terror.  He flinched and squeezed his eyes shut when Castiel put his hand against his chest, instinctively grabbing at the angel’s arm. “Relax, my treasure.  Let me in, don’t fight!”

            “Just hurry up!”

            Alright.  Castiel began to push his hand into Dean’s chest, reaching for his precious soul. Dean’s eyes opened wide.  He gasped, clutching at Castiel’s arm. “Shh, relax, let me in”

            Trust, even through the pain.  Castiel could feel Dean relax, feel the resistance over his soul lessen. There.  He touched his treasure’s soul, using his Grace to alter it, retracing the Enochian symbols that formed his name.  Dean gave a little cry, clutched tighter at his arm.  It hurt.  Of course it hurt.  But it was clear that the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been before, when Dean had resisted being Grace marked with all his strength.

            Finished, Castiel quickly withdrew his hand and held Dean close.  “It’s over,” he soothed, kissing his treasure. “I’m sorry.  I wish there was a way I could mark your soul without hurting you at all.”

            Dean whimpered.  “Let me down, Cas.  I need a little me time, alright?”

            “Of course.”  Castiel let him go.

            Castiel spent the rest of the day human sized, hoping to make Dean feel more secure.  It seemed to help.  Dean avoided being near Castiel until later in the evening.  When they laid down in the nest that night to sleep, Castiel looked hopefully at his treasure.  But Dean’s attention seemed miles away.  “Do you really think you might lose this fight tomorrow?” he wanted to know.

            “I don’t know,” Castiel replied truthfully.  “Perhaps?  I will be leading the initial charge, and that is where most of the risk is.  Of course I will fight my hardest.  But it’s battle.  Anything can happen.”

            Dean turned to look at him.  And then once again, his treasure’s arms went around Castiel, pulling the human-sized angel close.  “Don’t die!”

            Touched, Castiel reached up to squeeze Dean’s arm.

            Dean shivered, pulling Cas tight against him.  He didn’t care anymore that he was spooning another guy. He’d realized that Cas thought Dean was avoiding him because he’d been upset about being soul marked.  That had sucked, but it wasn’t the reason.  Dean was avoiding Cas because he was afraid. If he was honest, it wasn’t even completely about the fact that Dean could be handed over to some douchebag archangel if they lost.  He had no one but himself to blame for that, after all.  He’d apparently gotten Cas his promotion, and by convincing Cas to not tell the truth, he’d preserved that promotion.  But the idea that he might never see Cas again, that the weird, nerdy, clingy, sweet angel could actually die tomorrow?  That made his stomach churn.  Cas was tough.  He’d taken on much more powerful angels, he’d gotten jumped by a bunch of asshole guardians and still made it home.  Cas would be fine.  Dean had to believe that now.


	18. Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tough battle ends in tragedy

         It happened just as Castiel feared.

         He and his team fought well, broke through the lines and moved into position. The rest of Anna’s angels quickly moved in.  But even then, Castiel had known something was wrong.  The enemy angels were falling back, fighting as they went.  But they were offering very little in the way of resistance.  With a sinking heart, Castiel realized they were being drawn in.

         Anna, of course, realized it, too.  She called her angels, drawing them back into defensive positions rather than chasing after the fleeing enemy angels.  And the moment the enemy realized Anna’s angels weren’t taking the bait, weren’t following after, the trap was sprung.

         It seemed like the ground erupted with enemy angels.  They were everywhere, breaking cover all around, smashing up through buildings, coming up from underground hiding places, dashing out of whatever cover they could find to charge Anna’s forces.  It was a nightmare.  Castiel stood his ground, yelling encouragement to his angels, and waited for the attack.

         They were badly outnumbered.  Castiel found himself fighting for his life against two angels.  But he refused to fall back, fighting gamely on and defeating the first.  Once she was down, he focused on the second.  Soon she, too, was down.  But all around him, his angels were being beaten back.  Castiel pulled the closest enemy angel, cut him down, moved on to the next.  Before long, his group had rallied behind their section leader.  Castiel’s angels stayed close, guarding each other.  And before long, they were clear.

         “Castiel!” Anna screamed.  “Reinforce the left flank!”

         He immediately obeyed, noting with alarm that Anna was being hard pressed by three powerful enemy angels.  No time to stop and try to help her.  The left flank was faltering, only two angels left standing and both badly wounded. Castiel immediately engaged, beating back their attackers.

         He looked around.  Miraculously, their lines were holding.  Anna had drawn her angels into a tight defensive perimeter.  Now that the left flank was no longer faltering, the rest of her lines were holding their ground.  Anna herself was wounded, panting as she stood over the three fallen angels.  She gave Castiel a smile and nod, which he returned.

         Then another wave attacked and there was no time for such things.

         Once more, Castiel held his ground.  The two angels he’d come to reinforce were still fighting, keeping close to him.  That turned out to be a very good thing.  Five powerful angels charged at him and suddenly he was fighting for his life. The next few minutes were a blur of attacking and defending, of pain and desperation and blazing light from lost Grace. Finally, he was standing, panting, over seven still figures.  All five enemy angels were down, but so too were the two angels he’d helped.  The scorch marks of seven pairs of wings marred the ground.

         “Fall in!”

         Castiel looked up in surprise, seeing Uriel pointing with his angel blade.  He frowned in confusion.  Uriel was the highest-ranked section leader, just under Anna. But why was he issuing orders when Anna...

         Red hair, splayed on the ground.  The black marks of a pair of wings beneath a still figure.

         “Fall in, now!” Uriel roared.  “We’ve got them on the run, now let’s finish this!”

         Castiel looked up, saw wave after wave of enemy angels rapidly winging away.  It was a full retreat.  Now only a handful of enemy angels were still holding their ground.  Castiel yelled, his wings beating the air, letting all of his anger and frustration and grief build and then release into his attacks as he charged into the enemy angels.  He brought the first one down with a single attack, took down the second with two well-placed strikes, and then grappled with the third.  He barely registered the crash when the two of them plummeted to the Earth and smashed into a building in a wild spray of debris.  The other angel was tough, the toughest he’d faced yet. He was brushing off Castiel’s attacks and slashing at Castiel, forcing him to be more defensive than offensive. But it wasn’t until the other angel threw him through one of the remaining walls that Castiel realized he’d just attacked the enemy captain.

         The powerful angel dove onto Castiel with a snarl.  Castiel defended himself frantically, rolling away from the enemy captain, stumbling as he backed into the ruined building.  He couldn’t win this.  There was no way he could take on an angel this powerful on his own.

         “Castiel!”

         Uriel, charging into the other angel, slamming him down into the cracked floor. Castiel flapped his wings and dove on as well, wings pumping him forward to push the enemy angel through the floor. The floor gave way with a crack, followed by a roar as the damaged building collapsed, covering all three angels with broken bits of masonry, metal, flooring tiles and insulation.

         Castiel saw his chance.  He stabbed frantically at the enemy angel.  His blade rose and fell, water pouring from a broken pipe splashing everywhere as wounds opened, light gleamed.  Finally, his blade plunged into the enemy captain one final time.  Grace flowed.  Another set of wing marks marred the ground.

         A hand closed around his arm, pulled him to his feet.  Castiel swayed, panting.  Uriel steadied him.  “Well fought, Castiel.  Now let’s choose our treasures!”

         Treasures.  Castiel closed his eyes for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief.  He’d never really expected to survive this day, much less be able to choose a victory treasure.

         “Look at this!”

         Uriel was standing over the broken body of a human woman.  Long strands of golden hair floated on the water.  Sightless blue eyes stared up.  Uriel knelt down, examining the human with interest.  “I’ve been hoping for a human treasure like yours, Castiel.  This one was very beautiful.  I could resurrect her, claim her?” he mused aloud.

         “No!” Castiel said quickly.  “Choose something else.”

         Uriel looked up in surprise.  “She meets the standard for a victory treasure.  She died when the floor gave in.”

         “And I did that!”

         The other section leader frowned.  “So you want to claim her yourself?”

         “No. She’s not meant to be claimed. She’s dead, and what angel would choose a dead treasure?”

         Uriel was giving him an odd look.  “Castiel, I could resurrect her easily!”

         Castiel glared at the other angel.  “I said, chose something else!  If you take her, I will refute your claim to her.  Neither of us wants that.  Just choose something else!”

         For a moment, the two angels locked glares.  Finally, Uriel nodded.  “Out of respect for what you did today, and the knowledge that your claim on this treasure outweighs mine, I’ll do that.  But I won’t forget this, Castiel.”

         Castiel nodded.  He waited until Uriel moved off, searching through the rubble for a suitable treasure. Then he considered the woman.  She was young, about Dean’s age.  Castiel hesitated.  He could resurrect the woman and just not claim her.  But Uriel would protest for certain.  Castiel would be expected to claim the woman.  That would condemn her to a life like Dean, like Charlie. No.  As sorry as he was that she’d lost her life, this time it was better that she simply stayed dead.

         Castiel reached down a hand and gently closed the woman’s eyes.  “Rest in peace,” he murmured.  Then he moved off, searching for a suitable treasure to claim.

***

         Dean stood silently in his place next to Castiel.  Seeing Cas come back to the nest had been a huge relief.  But the moment he’d seen those stricken blue eyes, he’d known something was wrong.  And sure enough, here they were, back in their fancy parade tunics on Earth.  This was something else Dean had heard about, another weird thing angels did.  All of the angels under Anna were here, loaded down with banded treasures.  Cas had three items in his arms, including a lavishly-decorated glass lamp, a portrait of some dude, and a fancy wooden jewelry box. Any one of them probably cost more than Dean could make at the shop fixing cars in a year.  The angel clutched the items to his chest.  Dean’s chain was held tight in his hand.

         Dean’s first reaction to hearing about Anna’s death was relief.  He was glad it wasn’t Cas.  Cas hadn’t told him much about the battle, but Dean got the distinct impression it had been a tough one.  Now Raphael’s guardians had moved in to hold their new territory and they were planning some big attack.  Dean was hopeful they’d win.  This stupid angel war had gone on long enough as it was.

         Then had come the news that they were going to march in another parade.  Dean had immediately protested, yelling and arguing and begging Cas not to tie him up and chain him like before.  But Cas had said very little about it.  Dean finally took a long, hard look at the sadness in the angel’s eyes.  And he’d stopped protesting.  Once again, he stood passively, letting Cas tie his hands behind his back and lock the heavy collar and chain around his neck.  Obviously, Dean still hadn’t earned the privilege of more freedom yet. Now here they were, marching solemnly, Uriel leading with his own treasure in his arm and Charlie, on her chain, at his side.

         Dean didn’t know what would happen.  He’d heard about this, when angels would show up someplace random and dump a bunch of stuff with bands on the ground.  But he’d never heard of a ceremony like this.  Now that Dean understood that this level of care for a dead angel’s treasures was only reserved for the higher-ups, he understood why. Cas had explained that angels of anything lower than a section leader had their treasures disposed of on the Earth by the low-class servant angels.  But regardless of rank, the disposal of victory treasures was similar. That was why Dean’s heart was pounding, full of fear for Charlie.  Because Cas had told him something terrifying.  “All of the treasures of a dead angel are first rendered useless as treasures to any other angel.  Then they’re discarded.”  Dean had seen them, the piles of broken, discarded treasures, broken silver bands lying next to them.  But how did that translate to a human?

         Apparently, he was about to find out.  Uriel had stopped, standing in the middle of a field.  Starting at the back of the ranks, the lowest-ranked angels solemnly came forward, carrying the worst of Anna’s treasures, and formed a line. Each angel snapped off Anna’s silver band and then either crushed the treasure, snapped it in half, or dashed it on the ground.

         Dean’s eyes were on Charlie.  As always, her eyes were staring ahead, obediently standing at Uriel’s side at the end of her chain.  But she flinched with every loud noise as another treasure was broken.  When it was Cas’s turn to smash things, Dean tried to meet Charlie’s eyes.  But she only stared straight ahead.  Did she even understand what had happened to Anna, what was happening now?  Was there even enough of the red-haired human left to register anything around her?  She was reacting to the loud noises, but no more so than a small child or someone severely mentally challenged.

         “Cas?” Dean whispered.  “What’s going to happen to Charlie?”

         But Cas didn’t answer.  Of course not.  The angels probably weren’t allowed to respond now any more than they could in a victory parade.

         Now the last angel had smashed the last treasure, and Uriel was leading Charlie up to the pile.  Dean watched anxiously.  The angel calmly removed the collar around her neck and untied her hands.  Then he pulled on Anna’s silver claiming band. It fell to the ground.  Dean held his breath.

         Uriel turned his back and walked away, leaving Charlie standing there at the pile.

         Dean gawked until the chain tightened, tugging the collar at his throat and pulling him stumbling after Castiel.  “What the hell?!” he hissed quietly at Cas.  “We’re just leaving her there like that?!  Don’t get me wrong, I mean, I’m glad Uriel didn’t snap her neck or something like I thought he would, but I am so damned confused right now!”

         Of course, Cas couldn’t answer.  Dean kept looking back at Charlie.  She was still standing there, staring after the angels.  For the first time, he could see some response.  She was actively looking at the angels, blinking slowly as she watched them march away, as though she were waking up from a deep sleep. Dean shivered and pressed close up against Cas for comfort.

         Finally, the angels took wing.  Cas scooped Dean up and took to the skies.  Dean held on with his legs, hating the fact his hands were still tied.  “Can you talk now?”

         “Hmm? Oh, yes.”  And that was all he said.

         Dean gritted his teeth and resolved to wait until they were back at the nest.  “Ok, talk,” he demanded.  “What just happened with Charlie?”

         Cas was busy untying Dean’s hands.  “It’s as I told you.  When a ranking angel is killed in battle, all of his or her treasures must be rendered useless to any other angel.  The claiming band is broken, and the treasure is discarded.”

         “Yeah, I get that.  We’ve found plenty of piles of busted shit.  But what about Charlie?”

         “Charlie was no different.”  Cas had hold of Dean’s collar now, but he’d stopped, one hand on the collar, the other twirling the chain idly between his fingers.  “She’s of no value as a treasure to any other angel, and so Anna’s band was broken and she was discarded.”

         “Why’s she of no value?  Because she’s basically a zombie?”

         “Because she’s fully Grace marked,” Cas explained.  His eyes were on the chain as he continued to play with it.  “Her soul is permanently etched with Anna’s name. Therefore, she’s of no value to any other angel.”

         “Oh!” He frowned.  “Wait, so that means she just goes free?  I thought you said that anyone who had a grudge against angels would come after me if you let me go!”

         “And they would.  Now they’ll come for Charlie.  There’s a human settlement not far from where we discarded her.  With luck, someone will find her, possibly protect her.” Cas sounded doubtful.

         “So basically, you giant flying dicks just left a catatonic girl helpless and alone, knowing that God only knows what will be coming after her.  That’s just great, Cas!”  He scowled at the angel and poked Cas in the ribs.  “Hey!  Would you please quit playing with this collar and get it off of me?  It’s dragging on my neck!”

         Dean did not like the way Cas hesitated before letting him go.  Nor did he care much for the way Cas immediately caught hold of him and tightened the claiming band around his neck.  He frowned.  “Cas? What are you doing?”

         “I could have easily died today,” the angel admitted.  He was still holding on to Dean’s arm.  “And if I had, I haven’t etched your soul.  The only way to make sure no other angel could claim you would be to kill you and then burn your body.”

         Dean froze.  Cas gathered him up and held him tightly against his chest without permission, but right now, Dean didn’t care.  He would have been killed if Cas died.  How many times since Cas claimed him had he come close to that happening?  “Cas, do me a couple of favors?”

         “What is it, my treasure?”

         “Mark me.  And then could you maybe let me go and shrink down again?”

         Castiel obeyed both requests.  As soon as he was human sized, Dean seized him and dragged him into a tight hug.  “I don’t want you to die!”

         “I’m sorry, Dean,” Castiel sighed.  “I only recently realized that you had no idea.  All this time, you didn’t know the danger you were in every time I went into battle.  You must be so frightened now!”

         “I am, but it’s not even just about me!  I don’t want you to die, Cas!”

         His treasure was clinging to him with all his strength.  Castiel wordlessly kissed the side of Dean’s head and wished he could reassure him.


	19. Leadership

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael is just too interested in Castiel's treasure for comfort

            “It’s too easy,” Raphael complained.  “The enemy is too powerful, and too clever, to just give up such a crucial bit of territory!  We are talking millions of souls!  We need to be prepared for an attack, an attempt to reclaim this territory. I need every angel in this garrison on full alert, ready to fight at a moment’s notice!”

            Castiel agreed, but he was having difficulty focusing. The bulk of his attention was on his treasure.  Dean looked calmly back at him, his eyes flickering between Castiel and Stanley. Raphael’s arm was snug around Dean’s waist.  Once again, the archangel had taken Dean, was holding Castiel’s treasure on his lap alongside of his own.  And Castiel wanted to scream.

            Everything had happened precisely the way Castiel had predicted it would.

            When the summons had come, Castiel had given serious thought to ignoring it.  Of course he couldn’t do that.  This was his archangel, after all!  But he hadn’t known what to do.  What Raphael was asking of him was highly irregular.  Castiel had never heard of such a thing.  But it was well within Raphael’s rights.  The message in the summons had been clear enough.  Now there was no choice.  He’d have to obey.  The knowledge, the certainty of what would happen was making Castiel’s stomach twist, making his chest feel tight, making him want to smash things.  He’d paced around his nest and worried until Dean had finally grabbed his leg to get his attention.

            “Dude!” Dean had called, clinging and nearly tripping Castiel.  “You’re driving me nuts with all this pacing.  What’s wrong?”

            Castiel handed the summons to Dean.  “This,” he said.

            Dean took it.  His eyes were solemn, his head nodding as he looked it over.  Then he handed it back.  “It’s a rolled-up piece of parchment with weird-ass angel writing all over it.  I suppose I could use it to wipe my ass?  Beyond that, it means absolutely nothing to me.  So how about you just tell me what it says?”

            Castiel grimaced and took the summons back. “This is a message from Raphael,” he explained.  “I’m being summoned to a very important strategy meeting.”

            “Like that other one?”

            “Exactly like that other one.”  He brushed a hand over Dean’s hair.  “A little too much like that other one, in fact.  My archangel suggests that I bring you.”

            “Me?”  Dean’s eyebrows rose.  “What the hell would he want you to bring me, for?”

            Castiel’s frown deepened.

            “Oh.  He wants you to bring me there so he can have two humans to cuddle again?”

            “Yes!”  Castiel was pacing once more.  “He wants me to bring my greatest treasure to a strategy meeting!  I know it’s because he wants to hold you again, Dean.  You never should have been there in the first place!  I only took you because it was an emergency and I didn’t have time to take you back to the nest.  But now he’s suggesting I bring you along!”

            “So, just a suggestion?  Not an order?”

            “Dean, it would be very inappropriate for even an archangel to order another angel to bring their greatest treasure to a strategy meeting,” Castiel explained patiently, still pacing.  “But a suggestion from Raphael is, in truth, an order. By making that suggestion, giving me permission to bring you there?  I will naturally be expected to do so.  Then the moment I put you down...!”

            “So don’t put me down,” Dean said with a shrug.

            “Dean, do you honestly believe you’ll be fine sitting on my lap for what could potentially be an hour or longer?!”

            “If it means Raph doesn’t get to put his hands on me, then yes!  I know how much that bothers you, Cas.  If you have to take me there, then fine.  But if you don’t want him to have me, then just keep me yourself!”

            The choice of words made Castiel frown. “You’re ok with him taking you?”

            Dean immediately looked away.  “You know I’m not.  He grabbed me and dragged me up onto his lap and held me way too tight. And he wouldn’t let me go!  The only reason I stopped struggling was because you said something.  I didn’t want to screw anything up for you.”

            “But Dean, you are the one he wants!”  Castiel knelt down, took Dean’s arms, and looked his treasure in the eyes.  “You are so beautiful.  Of course he wants you!  If there was any way for him to banish me so he could claim you, he probably would!”

            “You really think he’d banish you just to claim me?!”  Dean’s eyes were very wide.

            Castiel sighed.  “No,” he admitted.  “I’m too valuable on the battlefield.  But it’s obvious he wants you.  What angel wouldn’t?”

            “Personally, I think you’re all a bunch of giant winged idjits, as Bobby would say, for wanting someone like me.  I seriously am nothing special, Cas.  Sammy was the special one, super smart and straight As the whole way through school.  He’s gonna graduate and go to school and really make something of himself.  I barely graduated high school!  I worked in a garage for Bobby.  I don’t have a lot of friends, I never kept a steady girlfriend longer than a few months, and the only reason my dad lets me live with him is because I take care of the house, cook, and look after my brother.  So I gotta tell you, when you get all bent out of shape about an archangel wanting me?”  He chuckled and shook his head.  “It’s still cute, Cas, but it doesn’t make much sense to me.”

            “Trust me, my treasure.  Your value, especially to me, is immense.  And my archangel clearly agrees!”  He sighed.  “I can take you and keep you with me, but all Raphael has to do is suggest that I let you go. At that point, I won’t have a choice. I’ll have to put you down!”

            “Then I’ll hover around your chair.  Just because you put me down doesn’t mean I have to go to him, right?”

            “Dean, it won’t be that easy.  Raphael wants you, and he’ll have you, at least through this meeting.  And you will have to allow it, my treasure, if you wish to continue our ruse.”  He sighed again.  “Perhaps it would be better if we told Raphael the truth?”

            “No way!”  Dean’s voice was sharp.  “Cas, you earned your promotion, alright?  It’s not your fault I mixed everything up, and you shouldn’t be the one to suffer for it.”

            “I’m not the one to suffer for it!  You are!  It’s you that he wants, you that he’ll hold on his lap again, and you that he won’t let go until he chooses to!”

            “Yeah, I know, alright?!  And it’s the last thing I want!  The whole idea scares the shit out of me!”  Now Dean was pacing a bit, making a small circle in front of the kneeling angel.  “But here’s the thing.  If we don’t let him have me, you get in trouble, right?”

            “Yes.  And by now, it’s fairly serious trouble.”

            “Bad enough to get banished?”

            Castiel frowned.  “Perhaps?”

            “And then he can just take me!  We cannot let that happen!  So, whatever, I can take it.  He can have me, cuddle me for a bit.  It’s only for an hour, and I’ll get to see Stan again.  But I’m still your treasure!  In the end, he has to give me back!”

            Raphael had to give Dean back.  He had to return Castiel’s treasure.  That was what Castiel kept telling himself as he watched Dean.  Just as he’d suspected, Raphael had only allowed Castiel to hold Dean for a few minutes before mentioning politely that it would be perfectly alright by the archangel if he should put his treasure down, let Dean wander a bit.  Then Raphael had waited a bit longer, surreptitiously watching Dean and keeping one hand free, ready to catch the beautiful human the instant he came near.  But Dean stubbornly stayed near Castiel, clinging to the angel’s tunic.  Finally Raphael had risen from his chair, carrying his own treasure with him and strolled leisurely around the table.  It was no surprise at all when he casually scooped Dean up as he passed by Castiel’s chair.  And the entire time, Raphael had remained entirely professional. He’d never once changed expression.

            For his part, Dean had seen the way that Raph had brightened when Cas brought him in.  The archangel’s eyes lingered more on Dean than on any angel in the room. He figured the son of a bitch said something to Cas when Cas flinched and put Dean down.  And then the stupid archangel had simply walked around the table and taken Dean when Dean wouldn’t wander over on his own.  Bastard.  He’d barely kept himself in check when Raph picked him up, had to force himself to let go of Cas’s tunic and let himself be taken away.  And he’d seen Cas’s reaction.  Even though Cas hadn’t let his emotions reach his face, his angel’s hands had clenched into fists.  Cas’s wings hadn’t arched, but they’d absolutely gone up an inch or so, not enough for anyone not directly watching to notice.  Cas, Dean knew, was pissed.

            Of course Dean wasn’t any happier.  Once again, the archangel’s giant arm was tight around his waist, restricting Dean’s breathing and holding him firmly against Raph’s torso.  His fingers idly stroked Dean’s arm or side, making absent-minded little patterns on Dean’s skin or his tunic.  Dean hated every minute of it.  He wanted down.  He just wanted to be left alone, to go back to Cas.  The fact that he knew Raph wouldn’t let him go made him feel trapped.

            At least he could hold Stan’s hand again. Stanley, at least, was glad to see him, reaching for Dean’s hand as soon as Raphael sat down with them.  “I tried talking to him,” he murmured softly to Dean. “But he hit me and said a creature like me shouldn’t ever dare to speak to an archangel.”

            Dean grimaced and squeezed Stan’s hand. “Sorry, man.”

            “Don’t be.  It was worth the try.  At least now, he talks to me in English when he wants me to do something, and I don’t have to try to puzzle it out anymore.  And all he wants is for me to just be cuddly towards him and let him take care of me, same as my first angel.  Well, that, and you.”  Stan eyed him.  “I was worried for a bit that he wanted to trade me for you.  But he wants to keep me.  He just wants you, too.”

            “How do you know that?”

            “He told me.”  Stan smiled at Dean.  “The other thing that happened because I tried to talk to him is that now he’s talking to me, using me as a kind of sounding board for his thoughts.  I’m not allowed to talk to him unless it’s to answer a direct question, but he has been telling me what he’s thinking.  He wants you, Dean.”

            “Yeah, well, I’m spoken for.  He ain’t getting me.”

            “Maybe, maybe not.” 

            Dean frowned.  “Stan, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

            “He wants you.  And he has a plan for how he can get you, Dean.  He told me what he’s going to say to the angels here today.”

            Dean did not care for the sound of that. “What do you mean?  What’s he going to say, and what does it have to do with me?”

            Stanley leaned closer, resting his head against Raph’s chest, and used his free hand to urge Dean closer as well.  Dean did not want to do anything that would seem to Raph like he was being affectionate.  But now he desperately wanted to know what Stan was talking about. Dean shot an apologetic look towards Cas and leaned over.

            Stanley whispered seven words into Dean’s ear, and Dean went pale.

            Castiel clung tightly to the edge of the table and force himself to look away from his treasure.  No.  He couldn’t have just seen Dean leaning his head back on Raphael’s chest.  He wasn’t sure why Dean had given him that odd look just before he’d done it, but it didn’t matter.  Castiel didn’t care about making impressions or Dean’s insane plan, this was taking things too far!  He looked up again in time to see the delighted smile on his archangel’s face.  He watched Raphael catch the chins of both humans and nuzzle down into their hair and felt like screaming.  Now Raphael was smiling, nodding as he listened to the plans being discussed.  His hand was still under Dean’s chin, keeping the side of Dean’s face pressed against his chest.  Dean’s little hands were clinging to the archangel’s arm.  Raphael’s thumb gently stroked Dean’s face, and Dean closed his eyes.

            Castiel quickly tore his eyes away, focusing instead on the way his knuckles grew white as he clutched the table.  Too much.  This was just too much, and Castiel couldn’t bear it.  No angel could be expected to sit idly by and watch as another angel, archangel or not, received the affection of his greatest treasure!

            “What we need right now is leadership, strong, capable leadership,” Raphael said.  He’d raised his head, gazing sternly around the table to meet the eyes of each angel in turn.  “Losing Anna was a great loss.  Replacing her will not be easy.  I need an angel of proven worth.  An angel who is a powerful warrior, and also a capable leader.  And I have such an angel in mind.  An angel who, despite setback, proved his fighting prowess against powerful foes and earned the respect of both friend and foe alike.  An angel with a sound mind for strategy that predicted the enemy’s actions.  An angel capable of facing and defeating even an enemy captain!”

            Castiel froze.  He couldn’t look at Uriel, couldn’t even look at Dean.  His eyes were fixed on his archangel as Raphael smiled at him and spoke seven words.  “I choose Castiel as my new captain!”

            Applause broke out around the table, even as surprised looks were exchanged.  Castiel somehow remembered to rise and bow to his archangel.  Then he sat back down, his eyes seeking out Uriel.  The section leader was clapping, of course.  But his dark eyes were full of anger.

            As soon as Raphael dismissed them, Castiel immediately approached his archangel to reclaim his treasure.  At least Dean seemed anxious to get back to him.  He ducked under Raphael’s arm and quickly climbed off of the archangel’s lap, his arms outstretched for Castiel.  “Archangel, I thank you for this opportunity,” he said politely as he quickly gathered his treasure gratefully into his arms.  “But while I would never question your judgment or choices, I will admit I am confused.  I have only been a section leader for a single battle, and I never could have defeated the enemy captain if Uriel hadn’t assisted me.  Uriel is far more qualified and experienced than I am! Why, then, did you promote me instead of him?”

            “I already stated my reasons.”  Raphael cuddled his treasure to himself in one arm. He reached out his other hand to affectionately muss Dean’s hair.  “As a garrison captain, I’m sure you’re aware that you’ll be meeting with me daily for reports and instructions from now on.  You are welcome to bring your treasure.”  He smiled down at Stanley, who smiled back up at him.  “My own treasure is quite fond of him, after all.”

            “My treasure is fond of yours, as well,” Castiel said carefully.  “By your leave, archangel?”

            Raphael dismissed him.  As soon as they’d moved away, Dean was struggling.  “Cas!” he whispered.  “Loosen up!  You’re hurting me!”

            Castiel immediately loosened his grip.  “Forgive me, my treasure.  It’s just that Raphael...”

            “He promoted you to captain, so you have to take me to see him every day.  I know, Stan told me.”

            That surprised Castiel.  “Stan?  You mean Stanley, his treasure?”

            Castiel was about to ask Dean how the other human could know such a thing when another angel stepped into his path.  Castiel immediately stopped, blinking in surprise at a scowling Uriel.  “Oh! Excuse me, Uriel.”

            “Captain.  Permission to speak freely?” Uriel asked politely.

            “O-of course?”

            “You are a backstabbing bastard, Castiel!”

            Castiel had suspected Uriel was upset, but this left him speechless.  He stared in shock at the other angel, his jaw dropping.

            Uriel moved aggressively closer.  “You only got that promotion because Raphael wants your treasure.  You know it and I know it!  Nothing else makes sense.  And that was your plan all along, wasn’t it?  That’s why you wouldn’t let me take that human, because you didn’t want competition for your treasure!  Anna has been grooming me for the past century to take her place if she should fall in battle.  You knew that!  Everyone in our garrison knew that!  And now I’ve lost my chance, all because you have a beautiful treasure!”

            Castiel hadn’t backed away when Uriel approached, and now he was glad.  “That’s not true,” he declared.  “Raphael’s reasons for promoting me are his own.  I just asked him why he’d done it, as I agree that you are the more logical choice.  But our archangel has made his decision.  Now we both have to bide by it!  And I didn’t refuse to let you claim that dead human in order to ensure Dean had no competition!  Do you think I enjoyed seeing my beautiful treasure in Raphael’s arms?!  Would you?!”

            “If it earned me a promotion to garrison captain? Yes!”

            “Then that is where we very much differ!” Castiel narrowed his eyes, oblivious to Dean’s squirming.  “My treasure has attracted the attention of our archangel, that much is true.  But I do not at all enjoy being forced to share him!”

            Uriel looked surprised at this.  He looked down, appearing to inspect Dean.  “Your treasure is very beautiful, Castiel, although he seems decidedly less affectionate at the moment.  Just know that I see you.  When this all falls apart, I’ll know exactly who you really are!  Now if you’ll excuse me?”  He bowed, somehow making it mocking.  “Captain!”

            Castiel straightened.  “You’re dismissed.”

            “Thank God he’s gone!” Dean cried as soon as Uriel flew off.  “Let go of me, Cas, please!  You keep squeezing me too hard!  Put me down!”

            That was good advice.  Castiel badly wanted to smash something, and wasn’t even aware that he’d been tightening his grip on Dean.  He raised his hands towards his treasure.  “Forgive me.”

            “It’s ok.  I get that you’re pissed.  I don’t have to know what that asshole was saying to know he was being a complete and utter douchebag!”  Dean moved closer, taking one of Castiel’s hands and holding it between his. “Listen to me,” he urged, his tiny fingers tightening on Castiel’s hand.  “I’m still yours, and you still get to keep me, right?  Ok, I gotta put up with Raph’s bullshit every day now, but I can handle it.  And it’s more incentive for us to try to figure out a way to get me the hell out of here, right?”

            Get Dean out? Oh.  Dean still wanted to leave him.  Castiel couldn’t keep his wings from drooping a little even as he forced himself to smile.  “Whatever you need, my treasure.”


	20. Value

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Raphael gets more aggressive in his pursuit of Dean, Cas and his treasure make plans for the upcoming victory parade

            Dean quickly learned to absolutely detest mornings with Raphael.  The archangel wasn’t even pretending he didn’t want Dean anymore.  Cas would come to the morning captains’ meetings and greet his archangel with a bow.  Raph would acknowledge, say something in angelspeak, and Cas would immediately hand Dean over.  Cas later explained that, the first time, Raphael had said that his treasure was anxious to spend time with Dean.  The second time, he mentioned that holding two humans did wonders for keeping him calm enough to offer good leadership.  Now he simply thanked Cas for bringing his treasure and held out his arm to take Dean.

            The only good thing was that the meetings were usually short.  They’d discuss whatever angel business they had going on, the meeting would end, and Cas could take Dean back.  But Raph was getting seriously handsy.  No longer content to just hold Dean in his lap anymore, now the archangel was, in a nutshell, feeling him up.  The giant invasive hand rubbed up and down Dean’s arms, over his chest, his neck, his face, his hair.  All Dean wanted was for it to stop.  But Raphael, it seemed, had no intention of stopping.

            At least Stanley seemed to be doing a bit better. The frequent contact with Dean was good for the kid.  He hadn’t missed the way Stan’s eyes lit up every time Raph took Dean.  And while Stan didn’t seem any happier about getting felt up than Dean himself, he clung to Dean’s hand as if it were his last hope.

            Stan also was still hearing all of Raph’s plans. “The enemy is still falling back,” he reported.  “It’s a running retreat, but he’s nearly out of the city now.  Raph’s confident that he’ll take it today.”

            “Great,” Dean groaned.  “Another damned victory parade.  Son of a bitch, I hate having that stupid chain on my neck!”

            Stan’s eyes had gotten very big.  “Will he tie me up, chain me the way your angel did you that day he claimed me?”

            “No doubt in my mind, buddy.”

            Wrong thing to say.  Stan’s face had grown pale.  “I can’t take that, Dean!” he whispered frantically.  “Raphael is constantly holding me, and he’s not hitting me much at all anymore.  But I never have any freedom!  I’m constantly physically restrained!  He never lets me out, and he carries me everywhere.  I don’t have the strength anymore to march in a long parade.  And I can’t do it on the end of a chain!  It’s too much!”

            Shit.  “I’ll have Cas talk to Raph about some exercise.  And I get what you mean about being chained, believe me.  They marched me, tied up and chained, right past my little brother Sammy.  Had to be the lowest point of my life.  But you gotta remember, the parade’s happening because the fighting’s over. Yeah, it sucks like hell for us, Stan, but the people living there will finally have peace.  That’s a good feeling.”

            “But I’m the one who’s chained.”  Stanley looked near tears.

            Dean was spared from answering by Raph catching his chin again, forcing his head to turn and press against Raph’s chest.  He suppressed a groan and closed his eyes.  Raph had been in a good mood this morning. Now Dean knew about the city, he understood why.  But it seemed all happy angels were kissy angels.  Raph was kissing Stan, and then moving to kiss Dean, as well, invasive lips pressing into his hair.  Dean had already moved a hand to grab at the table.  It was a signal he’d worked out with Cas.  His angel had been a bit traumatized, not understanding that Dean had only been whispering to Stan and getting all bent out of shape about Dean leaning on Raph’s chest and then grabbing the archangel’s arm.  All Dean had been doing was trying to keep from punching the handsy bastard, but Cas had mistakenly thought Dean was actually being affectionate towards Raph.  No fucking way.  It had taken a lot of fast talking and then an hour or so of letting Cas cuddle him for Dean to settle his angel down.  Now, when Raph did shit like this, Dean grabbed the table, signaling to Cas that no, he didn’t like what was happening and he wasn’t actually returning any affection. Whatever Cas needed.

            But Stan wasn’t the only one who was dreading the victory parade.

***

            “Put me down, Cas!  Let go of me, please!”

            Castiel gently put his treasure down.  Dean was still shaky from this latest round of Grace marking.  He hovered, making sure Dean didn’t fall.  But Dean only took a few wobbly steps away and sat down in the nest.  His treasure wrapped his little arms around himself and lowered his head with a deep sigh.

            All Castiel wanted to do was pick Dean back up, cuddle his treasure to his chest and lavish affection on him until the dullness faded from his eyes.  But no. Dean wanted left alone.  Alright then.  “I still have the nest attuned to you,” he offered.  “Why don’t you eat something?”

            “No thanks.”

            That made Castiel frown.  “Dean, please.  You have to eat!  You’ve barely eaten anything all day!”

            “I know, Cas, but I’m sorry.  Just leave me alone for a while, ok?”

            “As you wish.”  Castiel tried his best to do exactly that.  He ate a small meal and left the table out, hoping to entice his treasure to eat.  But Dean only laid down in the nest and curled up.  Hours passed, and Dean didn’t move.

            Finally, Castiel couldn’t take it anymore.  He had the spell memorized by now.  He quickly went human-sized and carefully approached, gently kneeling down behind Dean and putting a hand on his arm.  “Dean?  Please talk to me?”

            Dean looked up, saw his angel and forced a smile to his face.  He couldn’t stand the worry in those blue eyes.  “Hey, it’s ok, Cas.  It’s nothing you did, alright?”

            “It’s Raphael, isn’t it?  What he did today?”

            The smile faded.  “Yeah.  That, and this parade.”

            “Talk to me, my treasure.”

            Dean twisted around, catching Cas and dragging the unresisting angel over himself so that Dean could hold him close.  He held Cas tight, but Cas didn’t move or protest. He was quiet and still, letting Dean hold him.  Dean sighed. “You know, I am aware that it’s pretty dumb, me telling you not to touch me and then getting all grabby on you.”

            “It’s not dumb.  I like it when you hold me, even when it’s very uncomfortably tight like this.”

            Dean grimaced and loosened his grip.  “Tell me if I hurt you!”

            “You weren’t hurting me.  But I was a little uncomfortable.  I still like it when you hold me.”

            “Lucky for us both I suppose.  Ok, Cas, here’s the thing.  I know you won’t hurt me, and you’ll let me go any time I want.”

            “But Raphael won’t.”

            Dean shuddered.  “And now we’ve got another parade coming up!  I know he said something to you this morning about me, and I know it pissed you off.  I’m starting to pick up a little bit of Angelspeak.  He said ‘treasure’ and my name.  Whatever he said that pissed you off, it was about me.  So spill it.  What’s he want now?”

            Cas stiffened.  “For me to leave you with him for a day or so.”

            “Son of a bitch!  How far is he going to take this shit, huh?!  He can’t order you to give me to him, right?”

            “No.  But if we win this war, it is customary for officers to present their archangel with gifts to celebrate the victory.”

            “Treasures?”

            Cas nodded.  “There’s no precedent for another angel to offer his best victory treasure, Dean.  For him to even suggest I give you to him is unheard of!  But this morning, Raphael was talking about how resistant you are, how you refuse to show him affection when he holds you.  He’s complaining that it reduces your value and that a garrison captain like myself needs a valuable treasure.  It’s actually his reason for suggesting I let him keep you for short periods of time.  He claims his own treasure can help you learn to be affectionate.”

            “Stan’s scared to death!  He told me that Raph holds him so tight at night he can’t even move and can hardly sleep.  Most of the sleep he does get is when he naps while Raph’s busy and leaves him in the nest. That’s why he nodded off today! Raph had no business slapping him, and he sure as hell had no right to slap me when I yelled at him about it!” He grimaced.  “Sorry about that.  I know I put you in a bad position.”

            “You didn’t.  I had the perfect excuse to take you back then.  I only wish I could have kept him from hurting you!  But Raphael is determined to have you, Dean.  He actually announced, in front of everyone today when I took you back, that if I have this much trouble controlling my treasure, that I needed to take another.”

            “And give me to him, right?”

            “I believe that was the implication.”

            Dean held on to Cas, breathing through his nose to try to calm himself.  His angel reached up a hand and put it over Dean’s.  “Dean?  You said you were also upset about the parade.”

            “Tomorrow you’re marching through the city.  And you’re going to have to tie me up again, and lock that stupid chain around my neck!  Damn it, Cas, I cannot stand this anymore, alright?  I don’t know if I can just let you parade me around on a chain again, especially not right through the city!”  Dean hated his own weakness.  He’d just tried to assure Stanley, but now, faced with the thought of the heavy collar locked once more around his neck, he simply couldn’t take it.  He pounced on the surprised angel, locking his arms around Cas’s waist and burying his face in the angel’s tunic.  “I don’t know how I can do it, Cas!  It’s going to be hell when I have to let you chain me again!”

            Castiel stilled, closing his hand over Dean’s.  “Then I won’t.”

            Dean looked up.  “What do you mean, you won’t?  You’re a garrison captain now!  You can’t just decide not to march!  And to march in a victory parade, you have to have a treasure.”

            “I’ll take another.”

            “You need me!  You have to take me, Cas.”

            Castiel squirmed free and sat up, looking down at Dean. “Dean, I cannot hurt you anymore. But Raphael will expect you to be chained.  There’s no way I can take you on this parade!  As I said, I’ll bring another treasure.”

            “And you’ll prove Raph right!  You’re giving him the excuse he needs to make you give me up!”

            Castiel’s wings suddenly appeared, flaring up and outward aggressively as he grabbed Dean’s arms.  “Never!  You are my treasure, and I will never give you up!”

            Dean blinked.  In his regular size, seeing his angel like this would have been terrifying. But human-sized Cas, with his wings flared, eyes blazing, teeth bared, all jealous and protective of Dean?  Holy shit, that was hot as fuck! 

            Dean got a grip on his emotions and his hormones and sat up.  “I’m sorry. I’m putting you in an impossible situation.  I’ll suck it up.  Just, please, let me go just as soon as you can, ok, Cas?”  He forced a smile.  “Could you at least leave my hands untied?  Then maybe I might not feel completely trapped!”

            “You’d still be completely trapped, my treasure.”

            “I know,” Dean said, glum.  “But at least I’d have the use of my hands.  It’s better than nothing, right?”

            Oh, this was new.  The massive wings were moving, wrapping around Dean as Cas pulled him in.  He was being wrapped in the glossy black feathers.  Cas’s deep voice was right in Dean’s ear.  “I will not hurt you again.  And being chained by the neck very clearly hurts you!”

            Dean shivered.  Now his hormones were really out of control.  He forced himself to focus.  “C-Cas?” he managed.  “What are you thinking?  If you’re not going to chain me for this parade, then what are you going to do? Tie me up?”

            “I won’t take away the use of your hands, either.”

            “Then what’s the plan?”

            The angel’s eyes were no longer glowing.  Now they were narrowed, lost in his thoughts. His arms slipped around Dean without thinking.  To Dean’s surprise, he found himself leaning into the angel.  Human-sized Cas wasn’t really any different than regular-sized Cas. But somehow, he was.  And, tell the truth and shame the devil, Dean had been growing more and more attracted to him.  Sue him.  So he had Stockholm Syndrome, or some other weird-ass psych condition where he was irrationally attracted to the monster who had stolen him away from all he'd ever known.  So what? The truth was, Cas was a very beautiful man.  Lean muscular body.  Deep blue eyes.  Soft, messy dark hair.  Perfect mouth, and the way his tongue flicked out to lick at his lips as he thought? Dean stared, seeing the moisture left there.  What would it be like to kiss those lips?  Cas had kissed him many times, but it had been the way some people kissed their dogs.  Did angels even understand what a real kiss was?  Cas was so completely clueless about the implications of letting Dean hold him, and when he held Dean, well, Dean was a pet, wasn’t he?  Was that some sort of sick bestiality, for an angel to make out with a human?  Dean had trouble believing that.  Here in the nest, Cas had a body that wasn’t that different from Dean’s own.  He had the faintest bit of stubble on his jaw. It was rough when Dean traced his fingers over it.  He could just reach out and touch Cas, just like this, trace that jaw, around the shell of his ear, run his fingers through the tousled hair.  He could tangle his fingers in the dark locks, pull Cas’s head down a bit so he could get a better gander at those eyes.  Blue.  Deep, deep blue, looking back at him and squinting in confusion.  Dean leaned closer, moving towards those lips...

            “What are you doing, my treasure?”

            Shit.  Shit! What the hell was he doing?!  He’d been about five seconds from flat-out making out with his human-sized angel!  Dean pulled away quickly.  “Nothing! Nothing, Cas.  It’s, um, just a human thing.  Nothing to worry about.”  Move along, folks, nothing to see here.  Just a human who’d just completely lost his mind.  There was no way he could justify this, no way to try to pass it off as anything other than what it was.  He’d almost kissed his angel!

            But unbelievably, Cas bought it, just like that. The angel nodded and immediately, his frowny thinking face was back.  “What we need to do is come up with a way that you can march with me without being trapped,” he was saying, completely throwing Dean’s line of thought off the rails.

            “Huh?”  Dean blinked, tried to focus.

            “As my treasure, I have to be able to keep you with me,” Cas continued, oblivious.  “And at the same time, we have to prove to Raphael that you’re still valuable as a victory treasure.  Unfortunately, that means you’ll have to do some small thing that indicates affection towards me.  I’m sorry, Dean.”

            A small thing that indicated affection. Poor, sweet, innocent Cas had no idea he’d been about to get just that.  Relief mingled with disappointment.  Dean forced his mind to focus on the problem.  “Ok, I’m open to suggestions.”  Oh boy, am I open to suggestions.

            The mouth that Cas had no idea had been about to be kissed turned up into a grin.  And then the angel started to chuckle.  “Dean?  Do you trust me?”

            “Yeah, sure!  Why?”

            “Because I think I have an idea.”

***

            From the moment they landed, they were attracting attention.  And by the time Castiel put his treasure down, ready to begin the victory parade, it seemed every eye was on them.  He glanced down at his treasure.  “Are you ready, Dean?” he murmured.

            “Yup!”  Dean had never looked more beautiful than he did now, standing proudly at Castiel’s side.  Then his treasure grimaced.  “Heads up, here comes Raph!”

            Castiel immediately turned, bowing to his archangel. Raphael looked flustered.  He held tight to his treasure’s chain, keeping the human close by his side.  Stanley was staring, wide-eyed, at Dean, not saying a word.  But Raphael had plenty to say.  “What is the meaning of this, Castiel?!  Why is your treasure not restrained?!  I directly ordered that every human treasure be chained!”

            “Your order was for the last victory parade,” Castiel explained calmly.  “You never said the practice was to continue, so I chose not to chain Dean.  Because I need no restraint to keep my treasure with me.” He kept his voice even and his wings down, but couldn’t help the pride visible in the set of his shoulders.  “Dean stays with me because he wishes to!”

            Raphael stared hard at Dean, and Castiel’s treasure stared right back.  Dean’s little fingers were tangled in Castiel’s tunic.  It was the only contact Castiel had with him at all.  No rope or chain kept him at Castiel’s side.  Yet Dean stayed close.  Raphael shook his head.  “You are a fool, Castiel!  Bad enough when your treasure escaped and humiliated us all before, when you were only a soldier.  Now, as a garrison captain, if you lose him again...?!”

            “Never fear, archangel,” Castiel assured.  “I am confident that I can keep my treasure with me.”

            “You’d better!  If you humiliate me again, Castiel?  As much as it would set my forces back to lose you, I won’t hesitate to banish you!”

            Castiel didn’t miss the way his eyes flicked greedily towards Dean when he said this.  If Castiel was banished, then Raphael could take his treasure.  Castiel resisted the urge to reach for Dean. No.  For this to work, he had to trust his treasure.  He let his hands rest at his sides and met his archangel’s eyes. “If I lose my treasure, then I would expect no less.”  He bowed. “My garrison awaits.  By your leave, archangel?”

            “Douchebag,” Dean muttered when Raphael stalked away. “Look at how he’s dragging poor Stan around!  He needs to give the poor guy some slack!  Stan’s neck is going to be wrecked after this.”

            “Be careful, Dean,” Castiel murmured back.  “That angel Raphael is speaking to now is one of his personal assistants.  I have no doubt that she’s being instructed to catch you if you stray too far from my side. Raphael won’t risk losing you.”

            “I’ll be fine.  You just do your part, and I’ll do mine.”  Dean’s smile was back.  “Don’t worry, ok, Cas?  I am not about to let some sycophant steal me away!”

            “Take no chances.  Stay close to me.”

            “You got it!”

            Dean did.  He had to move quickly, his fingers catching Cas’s sash to keep close as Cas moved up and down his garrison, looking stern and military and sexy with his serious expression, bringing any angel that wasn’t exactly in place back in line with a frown.  As a captain, Cas had a lot more freedom to move around, meaning Dean got to see a great deal more of the victory parade than he’d noticed before.  There were three other human treasures in the parade, although no others were in Cas's garrison. One made him think uneasily of Charlie, an African-American man about Dean’s own age.  He barely reacted as Dean passed.  Another, a Hispanic woman, gawked at Dean, but seemed to have been around long enough that she wasn’t fighting or causing a fuss.  But the third was a problem.  She was a brunette Caucasian with a beauty mark on one cheek.  Dean got the distinct impression she was new at this whole “treasure” thing.  She screamed and cursed at her angel, trying desperately to get her hands free and struggling against her chain.  She even kicked at her angel, and Dean winced.  Her angel was near the back of the ranks.  It didn’t look like the angel would be moving up any time soon.  Dean hesitated.  He wanted to go talk to the woman, help her calm down and understand her new situation.  But Cas was moving away, keeping with his garrison.  And as the gap between them widened, Dean caught sight of Raphael’s sycophant, looking expectantly at him and moving closer.  He swore and quickly ran to catch up to Cas.

            Cas, naturally, couldn’t react.  But Dean heard him suck in his breath when Dean took his hand and pressed closely to his side.  Jackpot.  They’d been marching through the city, with the guardians looking on.  The moment Dean pressed against his angel, the guardians started taking a step back as they passed.  The ornery bastards actually looked impressed.  Dean strutted along, clinging to Cas’s hand.  He looked over his shoulder and gave the frustrated sycophant a sly wink.

            That’s right, lady.  Captain Castiel’s got the most affectionate treasure around, and I’m not running away.  Bite me.

            Raphael, to his credit, remained stoic, doing his archangel thing and not even glancing in Dean’s direction.  Overall, the parade was a smashing success.  There was only one moment that struck Dean as odd. During Raphael’s speech, he suddenly paused.  From somewhere above in the towering office buildings, wild, unrestrained laughter rang out.

            Dean had never seen Cas move so fast.  He’d snatched Dean up without warning, clutching the startled human under his arm and bringing his angel blade up with his other hand.  But nothing happened.  Cas barked a few orders in Angelspeak, apparently sending a few angels to check things out.  From his sideways dangling position, Dean couldn’t see much of anything.  But whatever it was, it was over soon.  Before long, the angels returned empty-handed.  Then Cas carefully put Dean down, everyone relaxed, and Raphael went on with his speech as though nothing had happened.

            As soon as everything was done and Cas gathered Dean up, he was whispering in the angel’s ear.  “Ok, what the hell was that back there?  Who was laughing like a loon on the building, freaking everyone out? That the Enemy?”

            Cas’s handsome face twisted into a sneer.  “Nothing nearly so dangerous.  That was the Trickster, and if you don’t mind?  I would prefer not to discuss him!”

            Well, shit.  Oh well.  At least the parade was successful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm shit at romance, sue me. I wasn't sure I was going in this direction when I started this, but what the hell. Story's got a life of its own.


	21. The Trickster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raphael sends Cas and Dean on a mission to contact the Trickster

            “This?” Dean complained.  “This is some serious bullshit right here!”

            Cas didn’t answer.  Of course he didn’t answer.  What could he say?  Besides, the angel was a little busy, one hand protectively covering Dean at his side, angel blade out, trying to look everywhere at once while the mob of angry-looking guardians surrounded them.

            Truth was, it was some serious bullshit right from the start.  From the moment Cas had brought Dean to their daily captains’ meeting, it was obvious that Raph was in the mood to be a complete and total prick.  Dean knew that from taking one look at the pale, wide-eyed face of Stan on Raph’s lap.  The other human obviously had something to tell Dean.  Dean had been bracing for impact and Cas was already in the process of handing him over when Raph had abruptly snapped something in Angelspeak. Cas had frozen for half a second before pulling Dean back in, bowing, and moving to his seat, holding Dean in his lap.  Dean had been naturally confused.  “Wait, he’s letting you keep me today?” he’d whispered.

            “So it would seem,” Cas had muttered back.

            “Ok, this?  This can only mean trouble!”

            He’d been right, of course.  Shortly into the meeting, Dean had distinctly heard Raph’s bootlick, the lady angel who’d been ready to grab Dean at the parade, say Cas’s name.  Then he’d heard the words for “treasure” and “Earth.”  And Cas had stiffened up, tightened his arm around Dean, and gone pale. He’d argued a bit in that polite, soft-spoken way he had.  But of course, Raph just gave him a bitch face and snapped at him.  Then Cas had gotten up with Dean, bowed, and headed out in the middle of the meeting.

            “Ok, what the hell just happened, and what does it have to do with me and Earth?” he asked, squirming to get down.

            Cas didn’t put him down.  He turned Dean instead, holding Dean against his chest. “I have to take you there.”

            “When?”

            “Now.”  Already, the magnificent ebony wings were spreading, Cas was doing the magic bubble thing around Dean’s head, and they were heading out.

            Dean buried his face in Cas’s tunic, blocking out the horrific view of how high they were flying.  “Ok, please explain, if for no other reason than so I have anything else to concentrate on?”

            “It’s the Trickster.”  Cas’s voice was uncharacteristically snappy.  “He’s another archangel, the real reason behind all of this fighting in the first place.  Gabriel’s territory was Earth.  He was the leader of the guardians, and refused to involve himself with any of Heaven’s affairs because he said they don’t understand things on Earth, so he was banished.  That’s why the archangels had to divide up the territory on Earth in the first place! And it’s why the guardians are so hostile to Heaven’s angels, as you’ve come to understand first-hand.  They resent taking orders from other archangels because they remain loyal to the Trickster.  They say Heaven’s out of touch with them, that their ruling archangels don’t listen to their concerns, and it’s only the threat of force that keeps them in check.”

            “I never saw the guardians before that first parade,” Dean admitted.  “All the angel fights I saw on TV was always you guys!”

            “That’s because the guardians, when they can be convinced to fight which is a fight in and of itself, are capable of perfect camouflage.  They have different powers than Heaven’s angels.  They can phase through solid objects or even into the air!”

            “So, they’re ninja?”

            “I don’t understand that reference, but guardians, while they’re not as powerful as we are, vastly outnumber us.  If they joined in fully in our war effort, the war would be over in a day.  But instead, they scorn us!  It’s part of why we don’t care much for them.  Guardians must pledge fealty to the archangel who holds territory in Heaven that corresponds to the territory on Earth.  That’s why the parades take place in both realms.”

            “Ok, let me get this straight,” Dean began.  “The guardians’ leader got banished for sticking up for them, they live in the dirt, get ignored by you guys, get dragged into your fights, and then have to swear fealty to whoever wins?  Um, no offense, Cas, but I think I can kind of see why they’re so pissy!”

            “They’re savages!” Cas growled.  Clearly, this was a touchy subject.  “Bottom line is, Raphael wants to speak with the Trickster, see if we can come to terms.  If Gabriel can be convinced to take up his post again, the guardians would likely follow him, maybe even commit fully to the war!  That would end this conflict decisively in our favor!  But first, he has to even agree to speak with Raphael.”

            “I get the impression that’s where the problem lies.”

            Cas was passing through the clouds now, angling sharply down.  “The archangel Gabriel is called ‘The Trickster’ for a very good reason.  He operates through deceit.  He rarely gives a straight answer, rarely is seen or heard, and doesn’t speak with any of Heaven’s angels.  The only ones who even reliably know where he might be at any given time are the guardians.  And that’s why we’ve been sent to talk to them.  No angel ranked lower than a captain is permitted an uninvited audience with an archangel.  Raphael is sending me because I’m a ranking captain who has already gained some respect among the guardians.”

            “And you’re taking me because...?”

            “I have to take my treasure to prove my worth, my skill in battle.  The angel they send to challenge me before I’ll be permitted to speak with the Trickster will be one of equal or greater skill.”

            Dean startled.  “Wait, you have to go fight someone?!”

            “Yes.  So while you may be able to sympathize with the guardians and their ‘pissy’ nature?” Cas made air quotes that would have been adorable in another situation.  “You’ll find that I’m decidedly less inclined to follow your example.”

            “So, you’re gonna get into a death match with some ninja guardian that’s at least as tough as you are, surrounded by other guardians who would love to curb stomp you because you’re from Heaven, all in the hopes this Trickster asshole will even speak to you?!”  Dean clung to his angel.  “Cas, that’s nuts!  Just let Raph have me!  You don’t have to do this stupid suicide mission!”

            “It may very well be a suicide mission, but I have no choice but to obey my orders.  But don’t worry, my treasure,” Cas soothed.  “We’re here to parlay.  While angels can and have been killed on this type of mission, if I’m defeated I’ll likely only be beaten, humiliated, perhaps held prisoner and tortured for a short time, and then sent back to Heaven.  You probably won’t be bothered at all.  So don’t worry about what happens to you if I die, Dean.  The chances aren’t high.”

            Dean did not care at all for Cas’s choice of words and was less than convinced.  But even if Cas wasn’t slaughtered, the idea of seeing his angel getting his ass kicked right in front of him made Dean feel cold.  His Cas, beaten, humiliated, and tortured?  Dean’s stomach churned.  He clung to his angel, feeling Cas breaking in the air to land.

            Unfortunately, Cas had chosen to land right in the middle of a busy city intersection.  Horns blared. Tires screeched.  The screams began, people bolting from the scene, terrified at the sight of the massive angel in their midst.  “Damn it, Cas, you cannot just land in the middle of the street!” Dean groaned as Cas put him down.  “Next time, try for the sidewalk, or an alley somewhere, maybe even a park? Look, you caused an accident! People are hurt!”

            Cas looked and frowned, seeing the tangled metal of the wrecked cars in the intersection.  Then he started over.  He approached a bleeding, crying woman climbing out of one of the cars and quickly healed her.  She gasped in surprise, looked up, and immediately took off.  But a woman at the other car, although visibly terrified, continued to struggle with the rear door of her car.  Cas pushed her aside and looked in.  Ignoring the shrieking woman attacking him now, the angel tore the door off, tossing it negligently aside.  He reached into the car, did something, and stood up carrying, of all things, a tiny, crying infant.  This he handed to the terrified mother.  The woman snatched the baby and bolted without a backwards glance.

            “You’re welcome!” Dean yelled after her.  “Eh, I can’t blame her.  People are all scared shitless of you guys.  Who can blame ‘em?  My situation is pretty much the best angels have to offer, and look at what you did to me!” He indicated the silver band around his neck.

            Cas seemed undisturbed.  He returned to Dean, adjusted his claiming band, and reached for Dean’s hand.  “Stay close,” he ordered.  His angel blade was out, but down, in his hand at his side.  He took a couple of steps forward and took a deep breath. “Gabriel!” he yelled.  Then he followed it with something in Angelspeak, probably asking Gabe to come out, show himself, whatever angel etiquette was. For all Dean cared, it could have been an invitation to a Tupperware party.  All he knew was that it worked.

            The guardians appeared from all around them, phasing through the buildings, shimmering into existence from the air, coming up from the ground until Dean and Cas were completely surrounded.  Cas quickly pulled Dean close and raised his weapon, carefully watching them, waiting to see which one he would have to fight to try to win the right to speak to the Trickster.

            Bullshit.  Complete and utter bullshit.

            Shouting all around them.  Dean clung fearfully to Cas’s leg.  Cas’s hand was cupped protectively over him, but Dean was far more worried about Cas than for himself.  He scanned the guardians surrounding them, wondering which one would attack?  They all looked tough and mean.  His heart pounded.  So far, though, everyone was keeping their distance.  Dean could feel their eyes on him.  They were, he’d realized, right in the middle of the city, where they’d been for the victory parade.  Of course, they’d come looking for the Trickster at his last known location. Dean couldn’t see anything through the mob of guardians that now surrounded them, but no one was closer than five feet.  Of course. They’d all stepped back when Cass passed by in the parade because of Dean’s actions.  And here Dean was, clinging to his angel.  Crap!  He was making Cas look good, but that meant they’d consider Cas a greater threat, send a tougher angel to fight him!

            Dean had just been about to start acting up when there was a commotion among the guardians.  Too late.  Someone was coming, the guardians parting to let the newcomer through.  Dean looked up at the challenger, seeing Cas do the same. The guardian was big, head and shoulders taller than Cas, and built like a Mac truck.  He towered over Cas, raised his blade, and shouted something that sounded like a challenge in Angelspeak.  The guardians let out a cheer.

            Dean’s heart sank to his toes.  “Cas?  Tell me he’s the equal of you?”

            “I’m afraid this guardian is far more powerful than I am.  Let me go, Dean.”  Cas pushed Dean behind him.  “And stay back!”

            Dean went where he was directed.  He eyed the guardians at the edge of the circle near him, not trusting that one of them wouldn’t grab him.  But the guardians moved back in a wave, keeping their distance from Dean.  Well, that was good, at least.  If Cas didn’t have to worry about Dean, he could focus on his fight.  And by the looks of this guy, Cas would need all of his concentration!

            Cas glanced back at Dean, took note that he was unmolested, and nodded.  Then he raised his weapon and stepped forward to meet his opponent.  The crowd of guardians immediately went wild, screaming for their champion.  The noise was deafening.

            Dean hadn’t seen his angel fight since that first day.  Cas really was skilled.  He could spin his weapon in his hand, attacking from any angle.  He was fast, able to duck and dodge and jab and slash before Goliath knew what hit him.  And he fought smart.  Goliath locked blades with him and growled, using his greater size and strength to force Cas’s blade back.  But Cas let it happen until Goliath was off-balance and then quickly ducked out, letting the larger angel stumble forward while Cas landed a quick cut on the giant’s side.  Light flashed, and the mob of guardians booed.  First blood to Cas!

            Too bad it mostly pissed Goliath off.  He went after the smaller angel with a roar, catching Cas’s blade again and then smacking Cas with a nasty backhand that sent him sprawling.  Cas quickly dodged the follow-up attack, nimbly getting back to his feet in time to catch the next swing of Goliath’s weapon.  Cas took advantage of his smaller size to duck down and sweep the giant’s legs.  Goliath went down with a thud that seemed to shake the ground.  Cas was immediately on the attack, scoring three more quick cuts and jabs before Goliath drove him back with a wild swing of his meaty fist. Then both angels were up and circling each other again.

            Dean was jumping up and down, screaming encouragement for his angel even though he knew there was no way Cas could beat this overgrown son of a bitch.  If nothing else, Cas was giving Goliath a real run for his money.  The gigantic guardian was cut and bleeding in several places, while so far, Cas was just scuffed a bit.  But Cas’s luck was bound to run out.

            Finally, it did.  The fight had gone on for several minutes.  Cas’s speed and agility had allowed him to do most of the damage so far, while avoiding any serious injury.  But he’d only been able to score some minor wounds on the giant.  Goliath showed no sign of slowing down.  He pressed Cas hard, blades flashing.  Then he caught Cas’s blade, gave him a hard shove backwards, and Cas stumbled, tripping over a curb.  Before he could fully recover, the giant’s meaty hand caught the wrist of Cas’s weapon hand.  He cruelly bent Cas’s wrist until the smaller angel cried out in pain and lost his weapon. The silver blade fell to the ground.

            Cas quickly regained his footing.  He tried to pull away, free his arm, but the giant held tight.  Jerking on Cas’s arm, Goliath dragged him in only to send a meaty fist smashing into the smaller angel’s face.

            The cheers of the crowd drowned out Dean’s screams. Cas slammed his free hand into Goliath’s chin and blinked in chagrin when Goliath only grinned at him. Undeterred, Cas attacked a few more times, jabs and kicks that Goliath only laughed off as he raised his angel blade. Cas strained to free himself, throwing up his free arm to try to block.  But Goliath balled a fist around his own blade and swung low.  The blow caught Cas in the diaphragm, knocking all the air out of him.  Dean’s angel staggered, went down on one knee.

            Now Goliath really went to work.  He battered at Cas, pounding away at the smaller angel’s face and body.  Cas’s arm was still trapped.  He didn’t have the strength to free himself.  And the blows were taking a toll.  Already, Cas’s face was battered and bloody.  He tried to get up, and Goliath jerked hard on his trapped arm, dragging him forward and sending him back to his knees.  Then more blows, followed by another hard jerk on Cas’s arm to knock him back to his knees.  Again, and again, and again.

            The guardians were chanting something in unison, clapping and stomping their feet as their champion continued to beat Cas. Goliath jerked on his arm again, and the battered smaller angel fell to the ground, held up only by his trapped arm. It was clear he couldn’t fight anymore. The crowd cheered.  Dean froze, hoping that now, surely, Goliath would stop. But the giant only hit Cas again, making Dean’s angel cry out in pain.

            Dean didn’t think.  He charged at Goliath, pounding on the monster’s back.  “Leave him alone!  He’s beaten, he’s lost his weapon, he’s defenseless, stop!”

            The screams and cheers of the crowd drowned out his words.  Dean doubted if even Cas could hear him, if Cas was even capable of listening.  His angel was barely conscious.  One glazed blue eye looked up at Goliath from a face beaten to a pulp, silently waiting for the next blow.  Goliath was laughing, drawing back his fist.

            Dean looked around frantically, spotted Cas’s angel blade on the ground near his foot.  Once again, he didn’t stop to think.  He simply picked up the blade and shoved it as hard as he possibly could into Goliath’s back.

            A shocked gasp from the crowd.  Light blazed.  Goliath froze in surprise, his back arching as he screamed and blinked back at Dean. Dean drew the blade free, raised it, and sank it deep once more.  More light. Goliath let go of Cas and turned to face this surprising new threat as Dean again pulled the weapon free.  Then he frowned, grabbed Dean, and shoved him. Dean fell hard, landing in a sprawl.  He rapidly crawled backwards, seeing Goliath stalking towards him.

            “Dean!”

            Cas, barely conscious, beaten bloody, was still trying to get on his feet.  Dean kicked Cas’s weapon to his angel.  It slid along the ground amid the silent crowd.  As Goliath turned back to face him, Cas grabbed it and lunged forward with a cry, sinking the blade into Goliath’s heart.

            “Oooh, that’s gonna leave a mark.”

            It took Dean a moment to realize that Goliath had spoken.  It took another to figure out the guardian had spoken in English.  And then Dean forgot everything else when the giant bastard ignored the potentially life-threatening wounds he’d just received, raised his own blade, and slashed Castiel’s throat.

            Dean froze, staring in horror as his angel toppled to his knees.  Light was spilling from his throat.  Incredibly, Goliath had some sort of vial in his hand.  He was catching the light in that vial, snapping it shut when the last of it drained out and letting Cas collapse forward.

            “No!”  Dean ran forward, reaching for Cas, not caring that the angel would probably crush him. There was a sound, fingers snapping once.  Then Cas was collapsing into Dean’s arms, human-sized, wingless, and miraculously healed. “Cas?  Cas!  Talk to me!”

            “Dean?”  Cas looked dazed.  He shook his head to clear it.  Then he glared up at Goliath.  “Enough of your games, Gabriel!  Raphael wishes parlay!”

            “Raphael?”  Goliath tapped his chin with the base of his weapon.  “Oh, Raphael!  I love him! He’s my favorite Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle!”

            “Gabriel...”

            “Hush!”  Goliath snapped his fingers again, and the giant guardian was gone.  In his place stood an angel with flowing hair, golden eyes, a short beard, and a mischievous smirk.  His weapon had been replaced with a lollypop that he sucked on, making lewd slurping noises.  He pulled it from his mouth with a pop and shook it at Cas.  “You know, Captain Castiel, bad enough you had your treasure stab me.  He didn’t know any better, after all.  But did you have to do it, too?!”

            “I knew it was you, Gabriel.  I recognized you because you smell like that cherry lollypop!  And we both knew I couldn’t kill you, not with an ordinary weapon!  I just needed to get your attention.  It seems I did.”  Cas had moved to stand in front of Dean and was glaring fearlessly up at the archangel. “I am here on behalf of my archangel to...”

            “Now now, I said shush!”  Massive hands grabbed Cas, clamped over his mouth. “Now we all know that I beat you, Cassie.  And this is, after all, a war.  So that means I get to claim a victory treasure!  I can claim anything affected by our fight, so...”  His eyes moved to Dean, and Dean sucked in his breath.

            “No!”  Cas had managed to struggle enough to free his mouth.  “You can’t have Dean!  I have already claimed him!”

            “I see your name on his claiming band, and on his soul.  But that Grace marking doesn’t look all that permanent to me!  Besides, you’re not an angel anymore, Cassie, so how can you claim a treasure?  Seems to me that human’s up for grabs!”  The lollypop had vanished, replaced by a silver claiming band in the archangel’s hand. He looked at Dean and smiled.  “Last I checked, the only rule was that a victory treasure had to be something directly affected by the battle.  And that mark I left on, did you say Dean? Dean’s skin means he’s been affected!”

            Dean backed up in horror, only to run into an unmoving wall of guardians.  “Stay away from me, you son of a bitch!”

            “Stop!”  Cas was going wild, fighting to get free.  “No, you can’t have him!  Leave my treasure alone!”

            “Oh, relax, Cassie!  He isn’t actually the treasure I was planning to claim today anyway.”

            It happened so fast it was over before Dean could even react.  Gabe pulled Cas closer and slipped the silver claiming band over his head, tightening it around Cas’s neck.  “There we go!” Gabe exclaimed.  “I’ve got me a new treasure!”

            The crowd cheered wildly. Dean could only stare as Gabe slipped an arm around Cas and lifted the stunned former angel as easily as Cas had ever carried Dean.


	22. The Most Valuable Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel takes his new treasure back to his nest

            Castiel had known, from the moment he’d been ordered to try to make contact with the Trickster, that Gabriel would find some way to humiliate him.  While Castiel would be the first to admit he didn’t have the greatest imagination, he’d been actively trying not to think of exactly how the rogue archangel would do that.  Then he’d been beaten, his Grace stolen, his body reduced, and he’d been foolish enough to think that this was as bad as it would get.  That lasted right until he’d seen the claiming band in the Trickster’s hand.  The thought of anyone else claiming his treasure had filled him with horror, anger, and yes, shame.  Castiel couldn’t imagine anything that would be more humiliating for any angel than having his victory treasure stolen.

            Until now.

            Gabriel’s claiming band seemed heavy around Castiel’s neck.  He couldn’t keep himself from pulling on it, from trying to access the Grace he no longer had to snap it, get it off.  And meanwhile, the Trickster was carrying him away.  The archangel’s arm was tight around him, ensuring he couldn’t squirm free no matter how much he struggled.  His body bounced slightly with Gabriel’s long strides. Castiel growled, struggled, and pulled on the claiming band.  “Enough! Take this off of me!  Put me down!  Stop this, Gabriel!  You’ve proven your point, beaten and humiliated me, now let me go!”

            “Ah, don’t worry, little treasure!  I’ll take good care of you!  After all, you’re the most valuable treasure any angel’s ever taken, aren’t you? No one’s ever gotten a claiming band on an angel before, especially not a captain!”

            “Come on, Gabe!”  Dean, hurrying to keep up with Gabriel’s pace, was dragging on the arm around Castiel. “Cas didn’t want to come out here, he got ordered to!  If you’ve got a problem with it, take it out on Raph, not Cas!”

            The Trickster paused, turned to Dean.  “Ah, yes, what to do about you?  You’ve got the name of an angel on your soul and around your neck, but that angel no longer exists.  Now when an angel dies, all his treasures need to be rendered impossible for another angel to claim.  And the only way to do that would be to kill you, burn your body.”

            “No!”  Castiel thrashed.  “Don’t hurt him!”

            “Now now, calm down, both of you!  Because here’s the thing.  The angel that claimed Dean isn’t dead, just no longer an angel.  So I guess I’m kind of making up protocols as we go along here, right?  Therefore...?”

            Dean let out a little yelp when the Trickster snatched the claiming band around his neck.  A quick surge of Grace and a slight tug, and the claiming band snapped.  Castiel gasped, seeing his band fall to the ground. He looked, wide-eyed, at Dean, saw his treasure reach up a hand to touch his unmarked throat.  The green eyes were stunned, glancing at Castiel and then looking back up at the archangel.  “I’m, what, I’m free?  You’re just letting me go?”

            “Not that easy, Dean-o.  Yeah, you’re a free man again, but you can’t just pick up where you left off.  You were claimed and marked, and then paraded through the streets.  Everyone who matters knows you’re an angel’s treasure.  So I’m sorry, but you can’t go back to wherever you came from.  We’re going to have to make some other arrangements for you.  But don’t worry.  After your little performance at the last parade, I pretty much anticipated that the two of you would be showing up here sooner or later, and I already made some plans.”

            “What plans?!  You know what, never mind.  You let me go, freed me and took that damned collar off of my neck.  Thank you for that.  Now let Cas go, too!  Please, just put him down, take that thing off of him, and just talk to us?  It’s all we came here for!”

            The archangel smiled.  “I need to fly from here,” he explained.  His voice was surprisingly gentle.  “Wait here. My guardians will make sure you’re safe while I get my treasure settled into my nest and take care of some business.”

            “Wait, you’re keeping him?  No, you can’t!”

            “Relax, Dean,” Castiel growled.  “He’s not keeping me, he’s only trying to scare us.”

            “On the contrary!” Gabriel countered.  “Yes, I’m absolutely keeping him, but I’ve got plans for you both.  Now just try to calm down, chat with the guardians here. Later on, I’ll come back, and we’ll talk.  The guardians will explain how things work around here.”

            “No! Don’t take him away!”  Dean was yanking on Gabriel’s arm now, straining to pull it away from Castiel.  “Please! If you’re going to insist on taking Cas to your nest, then take me, too!”

            That made the Trickster pause, blink at Dean in surprise.  He gave Dean a sympathetic smile.  “Poor little treasure!  Don’t worry!  I won’t allow you to be hurt by any other angel.”

            “Dean, just do as they say!” Castiel called frantically as Gabriel prepared to fly. “Dean!”

            “Cas!”

            A guardian had hold of Dean, was holding Dean back as Gabriel spread his golden wings and leapt into the air.  The force of it nearly caused Castiel to double over around the archangel’s arm.  Castiel struggled, looked down, and went still.  He finally understood why Dean reacted so poorly to flying.  They were moving at breakneck speed, and Castiel instinctively tried to spread his wings, slow his progress.  The fact he didn’t have them hit like a blow.  “Damn it, Gabriel, why are you doing this?  You know you can’t keep me!”

            The only answer was a chuckle.  Then Gabriel landed with a jolt, and this time, Castiel did double over. “Stop!  Put me down!”

            The Trickster made a clicking sound with his tongue.  He stroked Castiel’s hair as if he were petting a dog.  Then he walked directly into the side of a hill, and was suddenly in his nest.

            Gabriel’s nest was, surprisingly, no bigger than Castiel’s own.  Castiel had expected a nest more like Raphael’s, with multiple rooms and the spacious meeting area where Raphael met with his angels to plan strategy (and handle Dean, although it wasn’t productive to think about that now).  Instead, the Trickster had a standard-sized nest not much different than Castiel’s, with the main nest in the center and the feeding table along one wall.  But in place of a wall of shelves to display victory treasures, Gabriel’s nest had a large empty cage.  The sight of the cage made Castiel shudder.  Surely Gabriel wouldn’t lock him up!

            But the Trickster was already moving towards the cage.  His arm remained tight around Castiel, holding the struggling former angel as he opened the cage door.  “No!” Castiel yelled, grabbing at the bars.  “Don’t lock me in this thing!  Stop this, Gabriel!”

            “I have a little business to attend to,” Gabriel explained, easily forcing Castiel into the cage and locking the door.  “You wait here, my treasure.  I’ll be right back!”

            “No! Let me out!  Gabriel!”

            But the archangel was already gone.  Castiel shook the bars in frustration.  He wanted to throw himself at the door, scream “let me out” until Gabriel finally stopped this game, came back and freed him.  But instead, he forced himself to calm down.  He let go of the bars, moved back into the cage, and sat down, tucking his legs under him and wrapping his arms around himself.

            It seemed an eternity went by, even though it was likely only half an hour, before the Trickster returned.  Without a word, Gabriel tucked in his wings, spread his arms and collapsed backwards into his nest, sending pillows and blankets flying.  Then he started moving his arms and legs in wide arcs among the remaining bedding.  “Check it out, Cassie!  A nest angel! Get it?  Waka waka waka!  Thank you, I’ll be here all week, tip your waitress!”

            “You’re insane,” Castiel informed him.

            “Yeah, but I’m loveable.  You’ll find I’m pretty easy to get along with, unlike certain other snooty angels.” He actually stuck out his tongue at Castiel.  “Some angels come into my city with their noses in the air, dragging along their poor terrified treasures.  Then they’re all, ‘Gabriel!  Show yourself, Trickster!’ like a garrison captain has any business trying to order an archangel around?  The nerve of some angels!”

            Castiel flushed.  “I’m sorry. I was rude, and there was no call for that.  I apologize.”

            “Oh, but wait, there’s more!”  Gabriel rolled onto his side and struck a pose, bracing his head on his elbow and holding up his index finger.  “Then, see, this asshole angel sees me coming, figures out it’s me, and has the gall to fight me anyway!  How’s that for rude?”

            “Gabriel, I didn’t recognize you until we were already fighting, and you came in there ready to fight!  What was I supposed to do?”

            “Well, if that had been Raph, even though I couldn’t imagine Raphie having that much of a sense of humor, but for the sake of this analogy we’ll pretend it was him?  You would have immediately dropped your weapon and gone to your knees!  You know that it’s insulting to attack an archangel!”

            “You were attacking me!”

            “Doesn’t matter!  I’m an archangel!  Proper respect demands that the instant you realized who I was, you should have stopped fighting.  Uh huh, see? You knew that!”

            Castiel dropped his gaze.

            “Then came the best part of all!”  Gabriel sat up now, pointing accusingly at Castiel.  “You have a human treasure.  You’re obviously well-acquainted with the rules for taking victory treasures.  And yet you tried to deny my right to one!  You tried to keep me from taking your Dean, but you know what’s worse?” Now the Trickster was glaring at Castiel.  “What’s worse is that you felt perfectly justified in taking a human being, an intelligent creature with his own dignity and self-actualization, against his will away from his home!  That you thought nothing about forcing that human to be your pet, or parading him around as a status symbol!  That you had no issue at all with fastening a claiming band the human would be completely unable to remove around that human’s neck!  But when a similar band was placed around your own?  When someone else marks you as every bit of an animal as your treasure and takes away the same rights you’d already taken from your human?  You fight, you struggle, and you try to insist on your freedom!  Even now, you’re in that cage, pulling on a claiming band almost identical to the one you yourself locked around the neck of a helpless human! How does it feel, Castiel?!”

            Castiel flushed in shame and dropped his hand from the band.  “I already know I was wrong,” he said humbly.  “What I did was inexcusable.  And I have no way to make it right!”

            “Sure you do!  Just swallow your pride and leave your Dean with me!”

            “Never!”

            “Ah, hear me out.”  The Trickster leaned forward, ready to negotiate.  “See, at least one of you is going to become a permanent resident here.  I wanted you, Cassie, but I’ll settle for him.”

            “You’re stealing him!” Castiel accused.

            “Castiel, if I was stealing him, I would have put a claiming band around his neck the instant you were down!”

            “You’re right.”  Castiel narrowed his eyes.  “You’re not stealing him.  You’re going to try to force me to give him to you!  That’s why this game, this charade of making me your treasure!”

            “This is no charade.”  The archangel’s voice was serious.  “Castiel, you seem to be under the impression that this is temporary, that it’s a trick, or that it’s a test of some sort.  It is none of the above.  The claiming band around your neck?  Go ahead, touch it.  You don’t have your Grace to know for certain, but I give you my word as an archangel.  It’s real. This is real.  I’ve claimed you, Castiel.  And unless the two of us can come to an arrangement here and now?  I have every intention of keeping you!”

            That was a shock.  Castiel frowned in confusion.  His hand moved of its own accord, tracing the Enochian symbols that formed Gabriel’s name on the band.  His body stiffened in alarm.  “Take it off me.”

            “Let’s talk about it.”  All of the humor had long gone from Gabriel’s face.  Now he was facing Castiel’s cage, his entire attention fixed on his captive.  “You’re a victory treasure now, Castiel.  Just another human with a claiming band locked around his neck.  But you’re special, because you were an angel once. So, in the name of brotherhood, I’m going to give you one chance, one final choice to make as an angel.”

            “Dean?”

            “Dean.  Now, he’s already free, but for the sake of appearance, I’ll back you up if you say you gave him to me as a gift.  We can call it ransom for your own freedom.  Then I’ll let you out of that cage, take off my band, give you back your Grace, and let you fly back to Heaven alone.  All you’ll have to do is explain to your archangel why you gave your greatest treasure as a gift to an enemy archangel!  You’ll probably get demoted, possibly even booted out of Heaven altogether.  But hey, what’s a little shame and banishment, being forced to live in the dirt with the disease-ridden humans and the savage guardians, right?  At least you’d no longer have to live with the guilt that you were holding a sentient being hostage, right?  Isn’t that worth the humiliation, for Dean to be back here on Earth where he belongs?”  He grinned wickedly at Castiel.  “What do you say, Cassie?  Your choices are that you can willingly agree to be a victory treasure for me and let me keep you as the greatest treasure any angel has ever taken.  Or, you agree to give your pretty little green-eyed beauty to me, and you go home!”

            Leave Dean here, undefended, the property of the insane leader of the guardians? The very idea horrified him.  “No!”  Castiel was on his feet, his fists clenched.  “You will never claim my treasure!  Dean’s free now, so let him stay free!”

            “Then you willingly consent to be mine?”  Gabriel was leaning forward, waiting for the answer.

            Consent to be Gabriel’s victory treasure, to live the rest of eternity as a pet and a status symbol, locked in a cage and humiliated forever?  How could he consent to that?  But Dean!  If he didn’t agree to this, then Dean would take his place!  No.  He couldn’t allow that.  Castiel squeezed his eyes shut.  “Yes. Let Dean go free, and you can keep me.”

            Gabriel clapped his hands in delight.  “Hot damn!  You’re the one I actually wanted anyway, you know.  Like I said, no other angel can match having another angel as a victory treasure!  And I’ve had my eye on you, Castiel.  You really went far, made a name for yourself, especially with that treasure of yours!  I’ve been watching for my chance.  Because of you, more humans are being taken.  But once word gets around of what I did to you?  I imagine that particular fad will stop fast, won’t it?  Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if a certain amount of backstabbing starts happening on those battlefields, angels taking hostages to turn into treasures instead of just killing them in glorious battle!  We all know how those angels in Heaven are about their fads!  Oh, I’m all a flutter, I always wanted to be a trendsetter!”

            “So that’s why you want me?  To make an example out of me?”

            “That, and you really do make a cute little pet.  We know humans make great treasures because it’s like having a little angel.  And now I actually do have a little angel!  And just look at how adorable you are!  Big blue eyes and messy hair?  We’re going to have such fun!”  Gabriel clapped his hands in delight.  “We can paint each other’s toenails, talk about how much Raph sucks, maybe watch some porn...  You ever been laid, Cas?  I’m betting no.  I’ve got some really nice videos to share!”

            Castiel cocked his head in confusion.  He had no idea what the Trickster was talking about.  But then Gabriel came forward and unlocked the cage, reaching inside for Castiel.

            Castiel shied away.  “Wh-what are you doing?  Leave me alone!”

            “It’s time for lunch!  Aren’t you hungry?  C’mere.”

            “I can...  Stop! Let go of me!  No, put me down!  What are you doing, Gabriel?” Castiel asked as he was carried to the table.

            “Ah, see, you’re an angel’s treasure now, right?  And we know how angel’s treasures eat!”

            Even before Gabriel pinned his arms and legs and picked up a piece of the meat, Castiel knew the archangel intended to feed him.  Castiel turned his head away, closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, knowing even this much was pointless.  Sure enough, the Trickster’s long fingers were prying at Castiel’s jaw. “C’mon, don’t be like this!  If I have to let go of you to force your mouth open, I’m going to be upset!”

            There was no point in struggling.  Resigned, Castiel opened his mouth and accepted the meat.  Burned flesh.  Was that better or worse than coagulated milk solids?  He’d been bracing for something horrible, but to his surprise, his human senses reacted in an unexpectedly positive fashion.  His eyes went wide, surprised by the flavor on his tongue.

            “Good, isn’t it?  I’m telling you, Cassie, vegetarians just have no palate!  Here, next bite!”

            It was surprisingly good, but the shame of being fed was still strong. “You don’t have to do this to me,” Castiel called between chews.  “My treasure, he had an opportunity to open my eyes to a lot of things I’d been doing. Feeding him, especially having him lick my fingers afterwards?  It’s awful. I learned my lesson, and stopped feeding Dean or forcing him to let me hold him.  Now he only lets me carry him for appearances.  So you can stop this, Gabriel!  Let me go, I’ve already learned my lesson!”

            “Glad to hear it, but you’re not going anywhere.  And don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s rude.”

            Castiel eyed the archangel’s open mouth, full of partially-eaten food that sprayed a bit as he spoke.  Then Gabriel was coming after him with another bite.  He sighed and opened his mouth.

            “Hey!  Knock it off! Stop feeding him, you son of a bitch!”

            Castiel strained to see around the archangel, startled at the sound of Dean’s voice.  Then Dean was there, trying to pry Gabriel’s arm off of Castiel and pull him from the archangel’s lap.  “Dean! How did...?”

            “Good question!”  Gabriel was glowering at an abashed guardian who had come in with Dean.  “I need to start locking my door!  How, exactly, did he get into my nest?!”

            “I’m sorry, archangel.  He wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t come with us, and started running after you.  We eventually had to guide him here for his own safety, and he insisted on being let in!”

            “We’re miles away from where we left him!  He walked all that way?!”

            “He was most insistent, archangel.”

            Gabriel sighed.  “Eh, whatever, it’s fine.  You tried, right?  Did you get to tell him anything at all?”

            “No, forgive us, archangel.  He simply would not listen!  He wouldn’t even let us carry him, just walked the whole way here!”

            “Damned right!”  Dean was still pulling on Gabriel’s arm, trying to free Castiel.

            Gabriel sighed again.  “Alright, you’re dismissed.  Dean, calm down, ok?”

            But Dean was very upset, trying desperately to pull Castiel free. “Fucking angels!” he yelled.  “I can’t believe you’ll even do this shit to your own kind!  Leave him alone, you bastard!  Don’t feed him!  Holy shit, is that a cage?  Were you locking him in a cage?!  Oh, you prick!  Let him go!”

            Gabriel was looking sadly at Dean.  “Alright.  You don’t want me to feed him, I won’t.”  He stood up, lifting Castiel with him.  Then he headed over to the cage, pushed Castiel inside despite Dean’s howls of protest, and returned to the table.  “Come on, Dean-o.  You gotta be hungry after walking all that way!”

            Dean sputtered.  “You’re going to lock him in that cage and eat right in front of him without giving him anything?!”

            “What?  You both said not to feed him!”

            Dean glared at the archangel.  Then he grabbed a bunch of vegetables from the table, glared again at Gabriel, and dared to stomp past him to Castiel’s cage.  There, Dean pushed the food through the bars, handing it to Castiel. “Here, buddy.  Eat.”

            Castiel eyed Gabriel.  The archangel didn’t move, just watched the two of them with one eyebrow raised. Castiel dared to accept the food. “Thank you.”

            “Just eat it quick, before he changes his mind or does something stupid!”

            Good advice.  Castiel ate quickly, keeping his eyes on his treasure as Dean stomped back over to face Gabriel.

            His treasure, Castiel knew, was very, very upset.


	23. Object Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel tries to illustrate a point

            Castiel watched as his treasure marched right up to Gabriel, looking fearlessly up at the Trickster.  “Listen, douchebag,” he began.  “Most angels are giant flying dicks.  Cas was one for taking me, he was one for beating me, feeding me, burning his name into my soul, and a whole host of other shit he did to me.  But he learned, alright?  He figured out that what he was doing was wrong, and he stopped! So whatever you’re trying to prove? You’re wasting your time.  Cas already gets it, now let him out of that cage!”

            Gabriel was watching Dean with his head cocked. “Dean, how long has he had you?”

            “I don’t know, a while?  What difference does it make?”

            “The difference is that you seem, well, confused.” He indicated Castiel.  “That’s the guy who took you away, remember?  I actually offered him a chance at his own freedom a bit ago.  All he had to do was let you go.  But he refused!  You know why? Pride, Dean.  Cassie knows full well that he’s a captain now because of you, because he’s got you so messed up in the head that you actually are affectionate towards him!”

            Castiel stiffened.  That wasn’t at all the reason he’d refused, but Castiel had no way to prove otherwise.  And the rest of what Gabriel had said was true.  He had, indeed, been the one who had taken Dean away.

            “Dean, I understand,” Gabriel soothed.  “You’re so, so confused!  You have no idea what you actually want, do you?  Did you forget where you came from?”

            “No, I didn’t!  And you’ve got it all wrong!  It’s not...”  Dean hesitated.  “Well, I mean, it’s not entirely like that!  He sure as hell never put me in a cage!”

            Gabriel moved to the nest, patted the cushion next to him.  “C’mere. Talk to me, tell me about yourself.”

            “After you let Cas out!”

            “I’ll let him out after we talk.”  He patted the cushion again.

            That did not sit well with his treasure.  Dean clearly wasn’t ready to give up.  Gabriel started talking with him, engaging Dean in conversation about Dean’s life.  His treasure was clearly unhappy, but spoke civilly with the Trickster, telling Gabriel about his brother, his father and a friend called Bobby, his work in the garage and his pride and joy, a 1967 Chevy Impala.  Castiel had no idea what that could be, but Gabriel had a surprising amount of knowledge, chatting away with Dean about some sort of mechanical process. And to Castiel’s dismay, Dean actually started to relax.  He even smiled a bit as he talked about someone he called “Baby.”  Castiel sat quietly in his cage, watching and listening, trying to pretend it didn’t hurt.

            “Well, Dean-o, it sounds like you had a decent life,” Gabriel said.  “You weren’t exactly in the one percent, but you were doing alright.  Your brother must have adored you, and it almost sounds like Bobby was another father to you!”

            Dean nodded.  “Dad being a bounty hunter meant he was away a lot.  So yeah, Bobby took care of us quite a bit.”

            “But it was mostly you, taking care of Sammy.”

            Dean nodded.  He looked unhappy.

            “You miss them.”  Gabriel’s voice was quiet.  “And do you realize that the reason you can’t be with them, the reason your little brother lost his big brother, is locked in that cage over there?”

            Dean wouldn’t look at Castiel.  “Yeah, I get that.  I’m aware I’ve got some kind of Stockholm Syndrome...”

            “Oh, do you ever!”  Gabriel sighed.  “Here’s the thing, Dean.  This bullshit of angels taking humans as treasures?  It’s fairly new, but it’s becoming more and more widespread.  And the humans are treated like animals!”

            “Cas isn’t like that!  He...”

            “He took you away, Dean,” Gabriel said patiently. “Did you want him to take you?”

            “No way!  I fought like crazy, but he was just so big and strong!  He just held me still and put that collar on me, picked me up like I was nothing.  Then he showed me off!  I think that’s when I started to realize what I was, that I was some kind of status symbol. And I never stopped fighting, but when they were leaving, he just flew away with me!  It was awful!  I couldn’t make him let me go!”

            “No one is blaming you for what he did.” Gabriel’s voice was soft, his smile gentle.  “I just want you to take a step back and really think about this.  So we agree that you did not want him to take you?”

            “No, of course I did not want him to take me!”

            “So you were taken against your will?”

            “Yes!”

            “Then what did he do to you?”

            From his cage, Castiel could see the way Dean started to tremble.  “He took me back to his nest,” his treasure recalled.  “Kept calling me ‘treasure,’ talking about how he owned me now, I belonged to him.  I couldn’t get out.  He held me down and went to sleep with me, so I thought I could get away.  But I just couldn’t get out!  So I thought, you know, I’ll play along, wait for my chance. But he wouldn’t let me go.  He took me to what I thought was an open field, so I tried to run away.  It was just another prison.”

            “So he did put you in a cage after all, didn’t he?”

            “No!  I mean, I couldn’t get out of the nest, and where he took me that day was basically no different than a fenced-in dog park, but it’s not like what you did to him!” His treasure looked back at Castiel, and then returned his focus to Gabriel.  “Please let him out?”

            To Castiel’s surprise, Gabriel immediately got up and approached the cage.  He couldn’t help flinching back as the archangel reached for him.  But Gabriel didn’t hurt him.  He pulled Castiel out of the cage, picked him up, and carried him back to where Dean waited in the nest.  “He never locked you in a cage?” Gabriel called as he sat down with Castiel. “Then we’ll get rid of that.  I won’t do anything to him he didn’t do to you. How’s that?”

            “Yeah, that’s, um, good.”

            Gabriel snapped his fingers, and the cage vanished, replaced by the familiar shelf of treasures most angels had in their nests. Castiel dared to breathe a sigh of relief and smile gratefully at Dean.  His treasure smiled back.

            Then the archangel was gathering Castiel in, pulling him close and adjusting him so he could hold Castiel with one arm, running the fingers of his other hand through Castiel’s eternally-mussed hair. “Alright,” Gabriel continued.  “So he trapped you.  What else did he do to you?”

            Dean looked from Castiel to Gabriel and back. “N-nothing else that bad.”

            “You’re lying, Dean.  You just told me a little bit ago about, and I quote, a whole host of other shit he did.  So let’s discuss some of that host of shit, shall we?”  He indicated the table.  “He fed you.”

            “Yeah, but he doesn’t anymore.”

            The hand in Castiel’s hair tightened, making him wince as his head was pulled to the side.  “He beat you.”

            Dean’s eyes grew wide.  “Don’t hurt him!”

            “We’re not talking about him.  We’re talking about you.  He beat you, Dean, you told me he did.  How badly did he beat you, and why?”

            “He...  I... Stop it, you’re hurting him!”

            Castiel’s hands had gone up to pry at Gabriel’s fingers, his neck bent at an awkward angle, the pressure on his scalp making him hiss in pain.  Gabriel paid no attention, his gaze locked on Dean.  “How badly did he beat you, and why?”

            “He beat the shit out of me, ok?  Because I ran away at the parade!”

            “Was that the only reason?”

            “No, he beat me when I stabbed him, alright?!”

            “So you were beaten for trying to escape, and for attacking him?  No other reason?”

            “Yes!”

            “No!” Castiel grunted.  “I beat him when he soiled the nest because I wouldn’t let him have free access to the bathroom.  Ow!”

            The Trickster had jerked brutally on his hair, making Castiel fall sideways and cling to the archangel’s arm to keep from falling.  “So you denied him access to the bathroom and then punished him for tending to his basic physical need?!  Give me one reason I shouldn’t beat you for that!”

            “It wasn’t like that!” Dean yelled.  His treasure was on his feet, trying to pry Gabriel’s hand off of Castiel.  “Leave him alone!  I pissed in the nest because I was mad he wouldn’t give me free access, not because I couldn’t hold it anymore!  I was just being a bastard because he beat me up and marked my soul!”

            “Ah, yes, let’s talk about that now, shall we?” Pushing Dean aside into the pillows, Gabriel shoved Castiel down on the ground, holding him down with one massive hand on Castiel’s chest and catching his wrists.  “You Grace marked his soul, Castiel!  You branded your name onto his soul so that he would be yours for all eternity!  Do you know how what that must have been like?!”

            The Trickster’s hand was sinking into Castiel’s chest.  Castiel groaned in pain between his clenched teeth.  “Can you imagine how your treasure felt?” Gabriel was saying.  “Feeling your hand inside of him, feeling your touch on your soul, and then the pain, the burning, as you carved the letters of your name onto his very soul?!  Look at you, how you’re struggling, so desperate to make this stop!  But you never stopped, did you, Castiel?  The latest marking on Dean’s soul is fresh!” The hand sank in further, and Castiel cried out, writhing.  “Hurts, doesn’t it?”

            “Yes!”

            “Stop, stop!”  Dean was screaming, attacking Gabriel.

            And now Gabriel turned to Dean.  “Why?  Why should I stop?  All that I’m threatening him with, it’s just what he did to you, repeatedly, and without thinking!  He never even considered that you had any sort of dignity or self-worth!”

            “But you know damned well he does!  And he learned, aright?!  He realized that what he was doing to me was wrong, but it was too late.  He’d already taken me, already marked my soul.  He had to keep doing it to make sure other angels wouldn’t take me!”

            “Because he won’t give up his treasure!”

            “Because Raphael wants me!” Dean yelled.  “He makes Cas take me to the captain’s meeting every day and Raphael takes me, keeps me the entire time!  He’s already got Stanley, but he wants me, too.  And he’s so determined to get me that he’s threatening to banish Cas, just so he can take me!  That’s the real reason we’re down here, ok?  Because Raph was trying to say I didn’t have real value and force Cas to give me to him as a gift when he wins the war, so we showed him up at the last parade.  The one where you came and cackled at everyone?  I proved I was still valuable and Raph couldn’t have me, so he got pissed off and sent Cas out here on this suicide mission!  That’s what’s really going on here!”

            Gabriel, to Castiel’s relief, had pulled his hand out of his chest.  Now he was simply holding him down.  Castiel lay quietly, panting and watching the interaction between the Trickster and his treasure.  What he’d done to Dean weighed heavier on him than Gabriel’s hand.  Whatever the Trickster decided to do to him, Castiel resolved to bear it.  He wouldn’t break in front of Dean.  He owed his treasure that much.

            Meanwhile, the Trickster was looking at Dean.  “So Raph wants you, huh?  Well, you’re not going to have to worry about that much longer.”

            “What do you mean?” Castiel asked, alarmed.

            “You don’t need to worry about it either, treasure.” Gabriel still had Castiel’s wrists.  Now he used them to pull Castiel up, lifting him to his feet.  “Hey, how about we go on a victory parade?  You remember that, Dean?  How did he keep you safe again?  Oh yeah!”

            Castiel couldn’t keep himself from straining away when the heavy chain appeared in Gabriel’s hand.  But Dean had drawn back, too.  “Don’t do that to him, please!”

            “Why not?”

            “Same reason you shouldn’t do all the other shit you’ve been doing to him!  Gabe, stop this, alright?  Just stop! I get that you’re trying to teach him some sort of object lesson here, but you’re missing the point.  Cas already learned it!”

            “When?”

            “Huh?”

            “When did he learn it?  Because you were seen with your hands tied and a chain just like this one on your neck not that long ago, disposing of a fallen angel’s treasures. Did he learn right after that?  The Grace marking on your soul is fresh.  So how does that work out, exactly?  Did he forget, and then remember again?”

            Dean looked away.

            Gabriel shook his head.  To Castiel’s relief, the chain vanished.  Gabriel pulled him into his lap with a sigh, once again stroking Castiel’s hair as if he were a pet.  “This is what you’re not getting, Dean.  I’m impressed, real impressed, with how you want to be the better man.  But unfortunately, it’s only confirming what I thought when I first saw you.  You may not have a claiming band around your neck anymore, but you’re still an angel’s treasure, because in your mind, you’re still Castiel’s property!  And it’s worse, so much worse, than that chain, because you’re staying with him willingly now.  You’ve got yourself believing that you care about him!  Dean, the chain he’s got you on now is the one in your broken mind!”

            Dean didn’t answer.

            Gabriel cocked his head, regarding Dean.  “Humans are fascinating creatures.  You’re like angels in a lot of ways, which is why you make such good pets.  And you adapt.  You’re strong enough that you do what you have to do in order to survive.  And look at what you’ve survived!  After everything he did to you, all that he put you through? You’ve still got that fire in your eyes! You’re still fighting, but the problem is that you’re fighting for him now!  Dean, this is the same angel that hurt you.  And the fact that he, as you claim, learned his lesson?  Do you really think that makes up for everything he’s done?”

            “No,” Dean said quietly.  “But doing it back to him doesn’t make it any better, either.”

            And now the archangel was looking at Dean in open admiration.  “You’re a good man, Dean.  A far better man than most angels.  But you’re broken.  He’s broken you, and now you’ve done what you had to do to survive for so long it’s all you know.  I have some people you need to talk to.  Humans, like you.  One of them was an angel’s treasure, too.  I think they can give you a different perspective, Dean, help you realize that your head’s not in the right place here, even though your heart is.”

            “I’m not interested in talking to any shrink, ok? Just let Cas go!”

            Gabriel shook his head.  “I had hoped that you’d talk to the guardians and they could give you a bit of an understanding.  But it appears that you’re just too upset right now to talk to anyone.”

            “Look, Gabe.  You really seem like you honestly are trying to help me here, and I do appreciate that,” Dean began.  “But your punishing Cas to teach a lesson he’s already learned, alright?  And you’re not doing it for me, either!  You shrunk him down and made him human.  I’m fairly certain I could whip his ass right now, but I have no damned desire to.  You’re telling me that you’re doing this to remind me of what he’s done, help straighten out my head, but you could do that without hurting him!  Fact is, you’re just a giant flying dick, just like every other angel, and you’re hurting Cas because you want to!  Because you’re still pissed at Heaven for booting you out and taking over!”

            Gabriel actually nodded.  “You’re right.  I mostly did it to try to wake you up, Dean, but yeah.  I wanted to hurt him.  I wanted one of Heaven’s entitled bastards to finally get just a little bit of what they’ve put human treasures through.  I’m pissed off about the way I was humiliated, how my guardians were taken from me and now they’re caught up in this stupid war!  I’ve got a chance to get a little of my own back with Cassie now.”  The arm tightened possessively around Castiel.  “And I’m not giving him up!”

            Dean’s gaze was cool.  “Then you’re no better than they are.”

            Gabriel actually flinched.  “You know what, I’m tired, Dean.  And it seems this conversation is over.  I’m going out for a while, talking to my team.  You’re welcome to stay in here or go, I won’t lock the door.”

            “What about Cas?”

            In answer, Gabriel stood up, still carrying Castiel.  Obviously, he intended to take Castiel with him.  And a moment later, they were flying.

            “What did you mean?” Castiel asked.

            “Care to elaborate?”

            “You told Dean he wouldn’t have to worry much longer about Raphael being after him.  What did you mean?”

            “Oh, Raphie won’t be in any sort of position to threaten anyone much longer,” Gabriel replied cheerfully.  “He’s getting himself caught in a rope-a-dope!”

            That made no sense at all to Castiel.  But Gabriel didn’t elaborate.


	24. Tricks of a Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean tries to trick the Trickster

            Castiel kicked and struggled desperately.  “Stop!  Leave me alone!”

            “Look at the little angel!”

            “Aww, he’s so cute!”

            “Throw him here!”

            “No, don’t throw me!”

            The guardian paid no attention.  Castiel went sailing a short distance through the air and was caught by another laughing guardian.

            “Such a good treasure!”

            “Give him here.”

            “No way, it’s my turn!”

            “Please!  I’ve done nothing to any of you!  Leave me alone!”  Castiel had no idea how many guardians had handled him.  One of them had struck him after he’d nearly succeeded in squirming free. At least Gabriel had stopped that, sharply rebuking the guardian.  But that was the only time the archangel had intervened.  He didn’t seem to care if the guardians hurt Castiel, apparently, so long as they weren’t actively beating him.  And they’d certainly been hurting him.  Castiel couldn’t even see Gabriel through the mass of guardians surrounding him.  The Trickster had simply handed Castiel over to them to amuse themselves with and was gone.

            Amusing themselves was exactly what the guardians were doing with him.  Castiel had been passed, swung, or tossed from hand to hand, mocked and laughed at even as he’d been petted and cuddled and held.  Never in his life had he felt so exhausted.  No fight he’d ever been in had left him feeling more battered.  And it wouldn’t stop.  Already he was being handed to another.

            At first, he’d tried to simply bear it, hoping that the Earth-bound angels would eventually lose interest and leave him alone. But when it had gone on and on, he couldn’t stand it anymore and had started fighting in earnest.  But what could he do?  He had no more strength than a human.  The guardians could handle him easily.  The guardian who’d taken him now had him by the upper arm with one hand, letting him dangle in space while he was poked and petted.  Castiel swung and kicked at his tormentors.  “Let go of my arm, you’re hurting me!”

            “Says the big bad captain!  I was there when your treasure got away from you, Castiel. That had to be the funniest damned thing I ever saw, you marching along, holding onto that empty rope!”

            Mocking laughter.  Castiel glared.  “Why are you doing this to me?  I haven’t done anything to any of you!”

            “Funny, because I’m sure we were getting orders from you once you became a section leader.”

            “And we got ‘em when you became a captain!”

            Castiel sputtered.  “You’re doing this to me because I gave you orders?!”

            “We were never Heaven’s to order around!”

            “You always looked down on us!”

            “And is this supposed to change my mind?!” Castiel challenged.

            “No different than what you’ve been doing!”

            “Savages, right?”

            “Heaven’s angels always thought they were so superior!”

            “Not so special now, are you?”

            “Give him up, it’s my turn!”

            Another set of hands taking him.  At least this one held him properly, instead of letting him dangle painfully.  But as he was handled more and more, Castiel soon stopped struggling.  He felt like he was sinking down into himself.  The helplessness, the hopelessness of his situation was like a giant hammer, pounding him down and down until the voices around him began to run together and he started to become numb to the hands constantly touching him.  He closed his eyes and grew quiet and still, his body loose and nearly flaccid.  And still, he was passed from one to the next to the next, a never-ending parade of laughing, jeering, mocking voices, touches, and occasional pain.

            He had no idea how long it had gone on before the voices finally quieted.  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for looking after my treasure.  I’ll take him back now.  Oh my, Cassie, you look a mess!”

            More laughter.  Castiel slowly raised his head and opened his eyes, looking up at Gabriel. The Trickster had him again.  His arm was around Castiel, holding him at his side as he dismissed his guardians.  Then they were once again flying back to the nest.

            “I have to say, you make quite the little party favor, Cassie!” Gabriel was saying.  “You know there were guardians in line for a chance to play with you from well outside of Raph’s territory?  Word spread fast!  Now everyone wants an angel treasure!”  He chuckled. “And to think, you brought it all on yourself with your stubborn pride!  How proud are you now?”

            Castiel stirred.  “You’re wrong.”

            “Oh?  You going to tell me you didn’t bring this on yourself?”

            “I brought it on myself, but not out of pride. I did it because if you keep me, then you won’t keep Dean.  I couldn’t let you do this to Dean!”

            Gabriel paused.  “You let me keep you, to protect him?”

            “Dean will never be forced to endure what you just put me through, Gabriel!  Do your worst, I will never give him to you!”

            “And I’ll never let you go!”

            “Then won’t we both be content!” Castiel spat.

            Gabriel went quiet.

            Dean was still at the nest pacing around when Gabriel carried Castiel in.  That seemed to surprise the archangel.  “Didn’t anyone come for you?”

            “Some asshole guardians tried to convince me to go with them, but I’m not leaving without...  Cas!  What the hell did you do to him?!”

            Gabriel had lowered him to his feet, but Castiel could barely stand.  His body ached and throbbed.  He knew he was likely covered with bruises.  His knees buckled.  He stumbled towards the nest, would have fallen if Dean hadn’t caught him. “Cas!  Gabe, you piece of shit, I told you not to beat him!”

            “I didn’t beat him.”

            “He’s head to toe bruises!” Dean accused.

            “Yeah, but I barely touched him.  The guardians just had a little fun with him is all.”

            “You let the guardians beat him?!”

            “No, and I reprimanded the only one that hit him. They were just playing with him, Dean.”

            “Yeah, I know how those bastards ‘play’ with people, alright?” Dean growled.  “They played with me when I tried to run away from Cas that first parade!”

            “And I made them see the error of their ways. That’s part of what I wanted you to see today while I was out, Dean!”  Gabriel seemed exasperated.  “Those guardians were supposed to apologize to you!  A lot of things were supposed to happen today that would have really helped you understand so much of what is happening here.  But you consistently refuse to go with them!”

            Dean had helped Castiel into the nest.  Now he set his jaw, hunched his shoulders, and glared at Gabriel.  “I already told you.  I am not leaving without Cas!”

            Castiel couldn’t help but be amused.  Gabriel was an archangel, but he’d clearly met his match in Dean Winchester.  The Trickster himself looked ready to tear his own hair out at Dean’s stubborn nature. “Fine!” he exclaimed.  “You are going to be so sorry, Dean!  Tomorrow, I will take my treasure and go with you myself, because that’s clearly the only way you’ll go at all.  And when you finally understand what I have been trying to show you all this time?  I will expect a full, formal apology!”

            “Whatever.  Heal up Cas.”

            To Castiel’s surprise, Gabriel actually obeyed. Then he snapped his fingers, and a twin-sized bed appeared near the nest.  “Since it’s obvious you won’t leave, you may as well have a comfortable bed.  Get some sleep, Dean, and so will I.  It’s late.”

            Dean eyed the bed.  “What about Cas?”

            Castiel already knew what Gabriel was going to do, but he couldn’t help flinching when the archangel snatched him up and climbed into the nest with him.  The lights in the nest immediately dimmed.  “Night, Dean!”

            Dean seemed to pause in the darkness. “Cas?  You alright, buddy?”

            “I’m fine, Dean.  He isn’t hurting me.”  Gabriel was holding him snugly in both arms as he lay on his side.  Castiel squirmed a bit, trying to get comfortable, but Gabriel held him still and settled.

            Dean sighed.  Then there was a squeak of mattress springs as the human climbed into his bed.  Resigned, Castiel closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

***

            Dean lay in the bed, listening to the sounds of snoring from the nest.  Gabriel sounded like a team of lumberjacks tearing through a rainforest.  He wouldn’t have been able to sleep through that if he wanted to.  But Dean had no intention of sleeping.  Whatever Gabriel planned to show him tomorrow, Dean was certain he wasn’t going to care for it.  That alone would have kept him up.  But when the lights went down, something caught his eye.  And if it was what Dean thought it was, then they might never have a better chance.  He carefully got out of bed, being careful to make as little noise as possible.  Then he crept towards the nest.

            He wasn’t surprised to see Cas’s eyes were open in the dim light.  This close to Gabriel, the snoring was deafening.  His angel was watching Dean with a puzzled frown, obviously wondering what Dean was doing.  Dean leaned down to whisper in Cas’s ear.  “Ok, buddy, it’s time to blow this popsicle stand!”

            “Dean, he has me!” Cas whispered back.  “If I try to get away he’ll just pull me back again. I can’t get away, just go!”

            The archangel held Cas snugly against his chest with his arms around Cas’s chest and waist, exactly the same way Cas had held Dean that first night.  Dean chuckled.  “This is not a problem!”

            A few long minutes of small, controlled movements later, Cas was free and Gabriel was snoring away, clutching a pillow to his chest.  The way Cas was frowning at him made Dean smile.  “Yeah, I got loose that first night and a couple times after that.  I always hated the way you pinned me down while you slept!  But I had nowhere to go, and I knew you’d be pissed if you woke up and I was gone, so...” He shrugged.

            Cas looked down.  “I’m sorry, Dean,” he whispered.  “I’m so sorry, for everything I’ve done to you.  But I don’t understand what you plan to do now.”

            “What I plan to do is simple.  Just take a look behind you!”  He pointed at the shelf of treasures.  “It looks like Gabe’s just as fond of keeping his best treasures on display in his nest as you are!”

            Cas’s eyes widened in surprise, spotting the telltale glow on the upper shelf.  “My Grace!”

            “That’s right, and we’re going to get it so you can fly us both out of here!  Now c’mere. I’ll give you a boost.”

            Dean cupped his hands to form a step for Cas. Cas quickly stepped into them and reached up to the shelf.  And a moment later, he had the shining vial in his hand.  “Good job!” Dean whispered as he let Cas down.  “Now do whatever you need to do to make yourself an angel again and let’s go!”

            “I can’t,” Cas whispered back.  “Not here!  We need to get away.  When I use this, every angel for miles around is going to know about it.”

            Dean glanced back at the sleeping form of Gabe. He nodded and took Cas’s hand. “Then let’s boogie!”

            Thank goodness Gabe never locked his doors. The two of them were out and running through the night.  The telltale glow of the vial in Cas’s hand provided enough faint light to avoid tripping over the worst obstacles in their path.  Soon, Dean had a stitch in his side and was gasping for air.  To his annoyance, Cas was apparently in as good a shape as a human as he was as an angel.  He easily kept pace, running next to Dean, panting but not nearly as breathless as Dean.  “Ok,” Dean called, slowing down.  “I gotta catch my breath.  This far enough?”

            Cas looked around.  “I have no way to know if any guardians are near.  I wouldn’t be able to see them even as an angel if they didn’t wish to be seen.”

            “Then suck down the angel juice, Cas!  We gotta go!”

            But Cas hesitated.  “Dean?  Your situation hasn’t changed.  You’re still going to be recognizable as an angel’s treasure.  Gabriel controls the guardians, so even if you try to hide on Earth, chances are high he’ll find you.  I don’t want to see you hurt.  But that means there’s only one place you can go.”

            Dean froze.  “Your nest?”

            Cas didn’t answer.  He didn’t need to.  Where else would he go?  Dean shook his head.  “I just hope Raph wins this war and fast, so you won’t need me as a treasure anymore and can find a way to let me go!”

            Cas frowned.  “Gabriel said something I don’t understand.  Something about Raphael being caught in a rope-a-dope?”

            Dean’s head snapped up.  “Oh, not good!  A Rope-A-Dope’s a boxing term.  Basically, it means you step back and you let your opponent wear himself out, looking like he’s beaten you.  Then you come back and nail him!  Didn’t you say something about this being the farthest that Raph’s been able to push?”

            “Yes.”  Cas’s eyes were very wide.  “We were all amazed at how easy it was for us to push forward and take the city.  This Rope-A-Dope strategy, it means the Enemy has been doing this intentionally?”

            Dean nodded.  “Letting you guys push forward, wear yourselves out so he can come back hard.”

            “Then we’ve got to get back!  Dean, you may want to shield your eyes.”  Cas raised the vial, pulled out the stopper, and seemed to inhale the glowing mist inside.

            Yeah, he definitely should have shielded his eyes. Cas blazed like the sun.  Wind swirled around as Cas’s familiar ebony wings appeared and spread wide.  And a moment later, Cas, still human-sized, reached up and tore Gabriel’s claiming band from his neck, throwing it angrily aside.

            Dean smiled.  “Welcome back.”

            Cas gave him a look.  He muttered the spell, returned to his normal size, and reached for Dean.  Dean couldn’t help but move back, and Cas froze.  “Dean?  I’m sorry. But my nest is the only safe place for you.  Please, if the guardians aren’t near, they’re surely coming!”

            Dean nodded and reluctantly moved forward, letting Cas pick him up.  He clung to his angel, burying his face in Cas’s shoulder as Cas leaped into the sky.

            Before long, they were back in their nest.  Cas hastily let Dean down and immediately started going through his scrolls and parchments, searching rapidly through them. Dean’s heart was pounding as he walked slowly around the nest.  Once more, he was surrounded by walls that wouldn’t let him out.  “Cas?” he called softly.

            “Yes, treasure?” Cas called without looking up.

            Dean winced at the name.  “I really hate being locked in.  Do you think maybe you could leave your nest unlocked so I could go in and out?”

            Cas was still distracted by his search. “There is a war going on, Dean. While it’s not likely, an invasion is possible.  Besides, you can’t just go wandering the streets alone!”

            “No, of course not.”  Dean bowed his head, resting his forehead on the wall. Trapped again.  “Do you think maybe, after the war, you could...?”

            “We’ll talk about it then, alright?  I’m sorry, Dean, but it’s very important I find... Ah!”  Cas eagerly opened one of the parchments.  “Alright, this is the concentration of our forces, and known concentration of the enemy’s.  Raphael’s plan is to push forward here, which would...”  He frowned.

            Dean had turned around and slid down the wall. He’d pulled his knees up to his chest, making himself into a ball as he quietly watched Cas.  When Raphael suddenly stormed, unannounced, through the wall, he nearly tripped over Dean.  “Castiel!”

            Castiel looked up, startled.  “Raphael!” he exclaimed in Enochian.  “You need to come and look at this.  Gabriel...”

            “I’d heard you’d been captured, that Gabriel had turned you into a human and actually made you his treasure!”  His eyes fell on Dean and grew wide.  “You’ve renounced your claim to your treasure!”

            “I...  What? No!  Raphael, I haven’t renounced anything, Gabriel...  Raphael!”

            Raphael had snatched Dean up, raised his chin and stared greedily at his unmarked neck.  Dean kicked and shoved at him.  Raphael ignored it completely, snapping his fingers to create a silver band.  “Since you have renounced your claim, I, as your archangel, will stake mine!”

            Dean took one look at the band and panicked.  “No!  Let go of me, you prick!  Cas?!”

            “No, wait!”  Castiel quickly ran over.  “Archangel, I haven’t renounced my claim to my treasure!  Yes, Gabriel took me hostage, made me his treasure to humiliate me, but I escaped!  And I’ve returned with vital intelligence!”

            “And no treasure fit for your rank!” Raphael’s eyes moved quickly over Castiel’s shelves of treasures, still holding a struggling Dean.  “And you admit that you were captured, actually...” Raphael snorted.  “Actually claimed yourself!”

            Castiel straightened.  “The Trickster lived up to his name.  He humiliated me and took my band off of my treasure, but I have never renounced my claim!  I simply haven’t had the opportunity to band him again.”

            Raphael frowned.  Then he huffed, made his claiming band disappear, and moodily held Dean towards Castiel.  “You’d best get to it!  If you’ve got intelligence to share, Castiel, then I’ll call an emergency meeting. Bring your treasure, my own misses him.”

            Castiel accepted Dean, who clung to him.  Then Raphael stormed out.

            “I did not miss that prick!” Dean grumbled, squirming to get down.  “What the hell was that?  Did he just try to steal me, right in front of you?!  Son of a bitch!”

            “Dean?”

            Dean looked up.  To his horror, Cas had a familiar silver band in his hand.  He backed away quickly.  “No fucking way!  Cas, how the hell can you want to collar me again, after you just found out what it was like?!”

            “Dean, I don’t have a choice!  The reason Raphael just tried to take you was because he saw you weren’t banded and thought I’d renounced my claim on you.  If I’d done that, then as my archangel he had first rights to claim you!  And he will, Dean, unless I claim you first”

            “Come on, Cas!”  Dean had backed to the wall, pressing against it as Cas came closer with the silver band.  “Don’t do this shit to me again!  Just leave me here and tell Raph you collared me, something!”

            “Please, Dean!”  Castiel’s heart was breaking at the look of betrayal in Dean’s eyes. “I’m sorry.  But Raphael has already told me I need to bring you to this meeting.  And if I don’t band you now, I have no doubt Raphael will take you for himself!”

            Dean squeezed his eyes shut.  “Please!  Don’t do this to me!”

            “I’m sorry.  I have no choice.”  Castiel reached for his treasure and gently pulled his band over Dean’s head.

            Dean cringed.  He kept his eyes closed until Cas tightened the band around his neck again. Then he opened them, looking up at Cas. His hands came up, tugged frantically at it.  “Please take it off of me!”

            “I will, I swear it!  When this war is over, I promise I’ll find some way to free you. But right now?  This is the only way I can protect you.”  His hand gently rested on Dean’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry Dean.”

            Dean wanted to throw up.  His fingers were still wrapped around the hateful collar around his neck.  But when he looked up at his angel, to his surprise, Cas’s eyes were filled with tears that streaked his cheeks.

            It wasn’t until Cas tenderly wiped at Dean’s face that he realized he was crying, as well.


	25. Rope-A-Dope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean chats with Stanley and learns Raphael's plans while Castiel tries to warn the archangel of the trap Gabriel mentioned

            “Cas, no!  Don’t let him take me!”

            It wasn’t fair to ask that of Cas.  Dean knew it wasn’t fair.  But he couldn’t help it.  He desperately wanted to stay with Cas, for his angel to stop Raphael from taking him again.  But there was nothing Cas could do.  His angel’s jaw was clenched, his wings tightly tucked as Raphael pulled Dean out of his arms despite Dean’s attempts to cling.  Dean kicked, hit, and squirmed frantically, trying to get away.  “Let go of me!  Leave me alone!  You’ve got your own treasure, why do you always want to take me?!”

            That earned him a harsh shake that nearly gave him whiplash.  Raphael barked something at him in Angelspeak.  He didn’t understand the words, but the meaning was pretty clear. Knock it off and be a good little pet, or else.  And here was poor Stanley, a fresh bruise on his face to serve as a vivid reminder of just how much danger they were in.

            Frustrated, Dean forced himself to stop fighting, even as Raphael once more pulled him into his lap and held him there.  He couldn’t keep from grabbing tightly to the arm around him, wishing for the strength to tear it away, force the archangel to let go of him.  But not even Cas could do that.  And meanwhile, Cas was clearly getting shit from the other angels.  More than one was giving him a mocking grin.  One made some smartass comment in Angelspeak that made Cas’s cheeks burn, made him look down in shame.  A smattering of mocking laughter followed Cas to his seat.  Dean’s heart went out to him, even as his fists clenched in anger.  Cas had been sent out on a mission that everyone had known from the start he couldn’t succeed in.  Despite all odds, his angel had fought well, actually held his own and got in a few good hits on Gabriel.  If the stupid archangel hadn’t been immune to Cas’s angel blade, Dean had no doubt Cas would have won that fight.  Dean doubted that any of the angels making fun of him now would have done even half as well.  And now Cas was back, trying to save their miserable asses, and this was how they treated him?  Dean wanted to scream.

            Meanwhile, the archangel was ignoring Cas’s plight, too busy cuddling Dean against his chest, looking pleased.  It was all Dean could do to keep from punching the smug bastard right in the face.  Dean squirmed, prying at the arm around him, trying to slip out from under it.  “Let me go!”

            “Stop!” Stan hissed at him.  “Raphael’s already upset!  Don’t make him hurt you!”

            “I’m not making him do shit!” Dean hissed back. “If he hurts me, it’s because he’s an asshole and he wants to!”  Frustrated, Dean let go of Raphael’s arm and slumped.  “Damn it!  I’m so sick of this!”

            “Get used to it, Dean.”  Stanley had sagged back against the archangel.  His eyes were devoid of hope.  “We’re angel treasures now, and they’re going to keep us forever. They’ll never let us go, and we’re never going to be free!”

            “I was, for a while.”  His hand reached up, clutched at the band locked once more around his neck.  “When Gabriel captured Cas, he took this off me.  Cas had to put it back on when we got away and he brought me back.”

            Stan’s eyes shifted towards Castiel, and then returned to Dean.  “He claimed you again?”

            “He didn’t have a choice.  Raphael was trying to say Cas had renounced his claim on me. He had his own band in his hand and would have claimed me himself if Cas hadn’t stopped him!  Dean shook his head.  “You know what the real problem is, Stan?  The real problem is that there’s no place for us to go!  For the most part, it seems like the guardians are kind of decent towards humans.  At least their boss is!  But there’s no getting around the fact that angels claimed us.”

            “Yeah.  I know.” Stan rested his head against Raphael’s chest in dejection, inadvertently earning himself an affectionate rub on his head.  “So is that where you went, Dean?  Raphael was very angry while you were gone.  Gabriel freed you?”

            “Yeah, but it wasn’t like I could just go back to my life,” Dean explained.  “The Trickster beat Cas, stole his Grace, shrunk him to our size and then claimed him.”

            “Really?”  Stan’s eyes got very wide.  “I didn’t know an angel could claim another angel!”

            “I don’t think anyone else did, either.” Dean jerked his head, indicating Castiel, who was standing and speaking.  He had no idea what Cas was saying in Angelspeak, but based on how embarrassed his angel looked, Dean suspected he was telling this same story. The reactions were varied, ranging from sympathy from some, a deep sigh from Raphael, and outright chuckling and eye rolling from others.  Raph’s arm tightened around Dean as Raph barked something harsh to Cas in Angelspeak. Dean clenched his fists, seeing his angel flush in humiliation, his wings drooping as he bowed to his archangel. Raph must have just bitched Cas out, right in front of his fellow captains, further degrading Cas even while he cuddled Cas’s treasure in front of every other angel.  Asshole.

            “I know Raphael didn’t expect it,” Stan was whispering to Dean.  “He told me that Castiel would go to Earth, be beaten and humiliated, and then come crawling back.  He said he could say then that he’d made a mistake, that Castiel wasn’t fit to be a captain.  Then he could say he didn’t have the rank to own a treasure as good as you were, Dean, and call for an arbitration panel.  My archangel was sure the panel would rule that Castiel didn’t deserve to keep you and he would have to renounce his claim on you.  Then Raphael could claim you for himself!”

            “But Raphael knew Cas had no chance making any headway with the Trickster!”

            “It didn’t matter, Dean.  All that mattered was that Castiel failed the mission. That’s all he would have needed to demote him and call for the arbitration panel.  By the way he talked and made arrangements in the nest?  I think Raphael expected to have you by now! That’s why he’s so mad.  He really wanted you, Dean.”

            “That son of a bitch,” Dean growled.  “I knew it!  He was going to try to steal me!”  He stiffened. “Can he still do that?”

            “I don’t know,” Stan confessed.  “He was very angry when he came back from Castiel’s nest.”

            “That when he did that?”  Dean indicated the bruise on Stanley’s face.

            Stan reached up a hand and gingerly touched the bruise.  “After he came back, told me what had happened at your nest, I said that maybe it would be better if he just left you alone?  He didn’t like that, so...”  He shrugged.

            Dean ground his teeth.  “Piece of shit!” he whispered.  “He just won’t give up and leave me alone!  He’ll trying until he finds some way to take me away from Cas, and there’s nothing Cas can do to stop him!”

            “I’m sorry, Dean,” Stan whispered back, dejected. “I know you like your angel.”

            Dean eyed the other human.  “You do?”

            Stan smiled.  “You said the Trickster freed you and captured Castiel.  Forgive me, but why didn’t you just run?  The only reason I can see for you staying was because you wanted to save your angel!  And I’m not blind, ok?  I can see the way you look at Castiel, and the way he looks back at you.  Anyone can see it!  And that’s why Raphael wants you so badly.  He wants what the two of you have, that real, genuine affection!”

            “That’s not something he can force me to give him.”

            “I know that.  You know that.  Any human knows that!  But angels don’t, Dean.”  Stan chuckled.  “That must be something, to have a real relationship with your angel, although I have to wonder what kind of dynamics that would have, when he has so much power over you?”

            “You and me both, buddy.”  Dean’s mind was racing, processing this.  He hadn’t realized his feelings for Cas were known.

            “I just hope Raphael’s right, and they really are about to win this war,” Stan continued, smiling reassuringly at Dean.

            Dean snorted.  “Gabe was under the impression that he’s about to lose.”

            “What?”  The smile vanished from Stan’s face, replaced by wide-eyed dismay.  “No!  Dean, if Raphael loses this war, then what’s going to happen to me?”

            “Depends on if he’s managed to permanently mark your soul.  That happen?”

            “I think so?” Stan said slowly.  “Raphael told me that an archangel can do it much faster than a regular angel, and he hasn’t marked me in a couple of days.”

            “Then you’ve got a chance, buddy.  When an angel dies, all of his treasures have to be rendered incapable of being taken by any other angel.  When Anna died, we smashed all her stuff and let Charlie go. You remember Charlie, the red-haired girl?”

            “Yes, but what happened to her?”

            Dean didn’t want to answer that.  “I don’t know, Stan.  But you’re not broken like she was.  You’ll have a chance.”

            Stan didn’t look convinced.  “If Raphael loses the war, then Castiel will have to put you up, offer you to the new archangel the way my first angel had to do with me. You could be taken, Dean.”

            Dean hadn’t thought about that.  “You think he’d want me?”

            “I don’t know.  Raphael said that the Enemy doesn’t care for human treasures.  But then again, that’s what my first angel said about Raphael, so...”  Stan shrugged.  “Raphael said that after what happened to Castiel, angels aren’t taking human treasures anymore.  So you’ve got a chance!  I hope he doesn’t take you, Dean!”

            Dean shuddered.  “Damn it!  Now I really hope Raph doesn’t get caught in that Rope-A-Dope!”

            “Rope-A-Dope?”

            “Yeah, it’s a boxing term.  It means...”

            “I know what it means.  Going to the ropes, letting your opponent burn himself out so you can attack when he’s weakened.  My uncle was a boxer, so I know all the terms.  But what do you mean?”  Stan was staring intently at him now.

            Dean indicated Cas, who was busy pointing out various things on a map.  “Apparently, Gabe’s not that much different than Raph when it comes to talking to his treasure.  When he had Cas, he told him that Raph was getting himself caught in a Rope-A-Dope. Cas didn’t understand until I explained it, but that’s why this meeting happened.  Cas is telling Raph that the Enemy’s suckered him right into a trap.” Dean winced as Raphael’s arm suddenly grew tight around him.  “And apparently he’s not happy about it,” he grunted.

            Raphael was absolutely not happy.  He was shouting at Castiel, as were several other captains.  Dean was proud to see his angel standing firm, speaking in a loud clear voice, obviously standing his ground.  You go, Cas! he thought.  But Raphael was seriously hurting Dean now, the arm around his middle so tight he couldn’t fill his lungs with air.  By the little cry from Stanley, he wasn’t alone.  Dean started slapping at the archangel’s arm.  “Come on, ease up on us!” he gasped.  “Humans need air!”

            But Raphael was shouting again, rising to his feet. Fortunately, he shifted the humans in his arms, mercifully letting Dean take a breath.  But then the archangel turned and started storming away from the table, taking Dean with him.  No. Dean twisted around, looking frantically back at Cas.  “Cas? Hey, put me down!  Cas!”

            Suddenly Cas was there.  He put one hand on Dean’s arm as he moved in front of his archangel, speaking rapidly in Angelspeak.  But Raphael wouldn’t let Dean go.  Dean clung to his angel, looking over at Stan.  Stan, dangling from Raphael’s other arm, looked just as bewildered and worried as Dean felt.  But Cas was taking Dean now, both of his angel’s hands beneath Dean’s arms, lifting him out of Raphael’s grip.  Dean breathed a sigh of relief and clung with all his strength.

            Cas bowed to Raphael.  Then he started out.  Dean still clung tightly to him.  “Holy shit,” Dean moaned.  “I really thought he was taking me that time!”

            “He is.”

            Dean stiffened.  “Huh?!”

            “I’ve been accused of being a coward and possibly a traitor.”  Cas’s voice was remarkably calm as they headed back to the nest.  “Raphael says that because I was captured, rendered human and claimed, I’m no longer fit for my position.  That my shame, my incompetence for letting Gabriel do that to me means that I can’t be trusted.  He challenged me to prove my worth.  If I can’t prove what I told him, that the Enemy is luring us into a trap?  Then I’ll be banished.”

            “And then he’ll take me!  Cas, he’s doing this to get to me!”

            “Yes, I know.  It’s painfully clear that he’s decided that my value to him as a soldier is less important than his desire to have my treasure for himself.  He’s determined to take you, Dean, even if it means destroying me.”

            Dean shuddered.  “What the hell are we going to do?!”

            “Prove it.”  Cas’s arms tightened around Dean.  “I’m the reason you’re in danger now, Dean.  I never should have taken you as my treasure!  But I did, and now it’s up to me to do whatever I have to do to protect you.”  He kissed the top of Dean’s head.  “Don’t worry, treasure.  I won’t let Raphael take you away!”

***

            “Convinced?” Castiel asked quietly.

            Uriel had said quite a bit when Castiel had gone to him, asking the angry section leader to join him in finding the Enemy’s hidden troops.  Ever since Gabriel’s “party,” where Castiel had been handled by guardians from within and without Raphael’s territory, those guardians had been quick to spread the word.  And now that both Raphael and Castiel himself had confirmed the shameful truth, Uriel and those like him had been quick to mock and dismiss Castiel.  But Uriel wasn’t mocking him now.  The other angel’s lips were pressed in a thin line, his eyes moving over wave after wave of enemy angels, hidden away in trees, buildings, whatever they could find.  They were right there, milling about, keeping out of sight.  There was only one thing it could be - an invasion force.

            “We’re spread too far into the city,” Uriel whispered. “Raphael’s positioned our forces to protect it, and reinforced the front lines to press further into his territory, towards his stronghold.  But it’s pulled us away from our own stronghold, and with this much gathered at the rear of our territory, behind the bulk of our forces?”  He shook his head.  “Alright.  We need to get back, warn Raphael!  And Castiel? For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I doubted you.  You were captured and made into a laughingstock.  That would have broken most angels, just like Raphael claimed it had done to you.  And instead, you came out stronger, came back with vital intelligence.  If we win this war, it will be thanks to you!”  He squeezed Castiel’s shoulder.  “You’re a damned fine captain, Castiel.  And I’m proud to serve under you.”

            Castiel smiled his thanks.  But his smile soon faded.  Beyond their hiding place, the enemy angels were rising, forming ranks and falling into attack position.  Castiel and Uriel crouched down, desperate to avoid being seen.  They could do nothing but watch as the army took to the skies, winging towards the rear of their unsuspecting forces.

            Too late.  The trap was already sprung.


	26. Peace At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel prepare for the rule of the new archangel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Left alone to batch, bored shitless so I kept coming back and writing.

            Dean held his angel in the nest, burying his face in the messy hair.  He hadn’t slept much.  What little sleep he’d gotten had been filled with vague, anxious, fearful dreams.  All he wanted to do was stay here in the nest and hold Cas.  For his part, Cas was silent.  The knowledge that this could very easily be their last night together weighed heavily on them both.

            The attack had been worse than they’d feared. Enemy angels had flooded the unsuspecting streets of Heaven, catching the defenders by surprise.  And they hadn’t stopped.  The Enemy had fully committed his forces, pressing hard until he’d stood himself in the heart of Raphael’s stronghold.  It had been terrifying for Dean.  He’d been waiting in the nest when the noise began outside the walls, the sounds of fighting and screams from the non-combatant angels. Then had come the worst moment of all. There was a time, well after the initial fighting had started, when Dean had a sense of something immensely powerful standing just outside the nest.  He’d cowered in the pillows and blankets of the nest, terrified it would come in and find him.  But it had moved on, leaving Dean scared and alone and trapped and desperately needing to see his angel.

            When Cas finally returned, one look at the hopelessness in those blue eyes had confirmed what Dean already knew.  “You lost.”

            “Raphael has been defeated,” Cas told him.  He sounded like a robot.  “All hail archangel Michael.”  And then his angel had dropped to human size, staggered towards Dean, and collapsed, sobbing, into Dean’s arms.

            Cas had been human sized ever since.  He’d left his nest attuned to Dean, just in case something happened on his dangerous recon mission with Uriel.  Now that came in handy.  Cas didn’t do anything for himself, letting Dean care for him.  It was strange, pleading with his angel to eat, helping Cas get washed up and finally pulling the unresisting angel into bed. And Cas hadn’t said a word.

            Now the dreaded morning was upon them and Dean held Cas close, his eyes closed and his face pressed into the back of Cas’s head.

            “I failed you.”

            “What?!”  Dean raised his head, looked at his angel.  “Cas, you didn’t fail me!  You didn’t fail anyone!  You did everything you possibly could.  If Raph hadn’t been too busy trying to come up with a way to steal me to do his job, this might have been prevented.  But as fast as that attack happened after you’d gone?  Yeah, I don’t know much of anything about the military, but it seems to me those bastards were all set up to attack.”  He paused.  “Was it like Gabe said?”

            “It was exactly like Gabe said.  They came up on us from the rear of the territory. All of Raphael’s fighting forces were spread out around the city and forward, ready to press deeper.  He played us all for fools, let us push too far ahead.  So then, when he came back and attacked our flanks, there was no way to get back in time.” Cas’s hand reached up, closed over Dean’s as it rested on his shoulder.  “By the time Raphael was able to maneuver his troops back into position, the angels that had been luring us in came back with reinforcements.  We were attacked from every side.  It was a slaughter, Dean.  We lost so many angels!  Over half my garrison is gone, including three of my section leaders.  I barely managed to save Uriel.  It was...”  Cas shuddered.  “It was awful.  But this morning will be even worse.”

            “Because all the leaders have to offer their greatest treasures to the new archangel,” Dean whispered.  “You have to put me up as an offering for Michael.”

            The hand over Dean’s squeezed.

            They’d gotten up shortly after that, eaten a breakfast neither tasted or remembered.  Then they’d gotten ready.  The street on the way to the bath house was filled with silent, wide-eyed angels. Everyone seemed to be looking around in disbelief, as though waiting for someone to tell them it was all a dream, or a horrible, elaborate joke.  They went about their business or simply stood in front of their nests, blankly watching.  The silence in the normally-bustling street was eerie.

            The bath house was even worse.  Several angels were standing in the cleansing fluid, but none of them was actually bathing.  They just stood there, staring off into space.  When Cas had waded in and then started doing the exact same thing, Dean decided he’d had enough.  “Ok,” he called.  “You lost. That sucks.  Believe me, I get that more than anyone!  But it’s not the end of the world, alright?  Yeah, you got a new archangel and I’m sure that means big changes.  But on Earth, we get used to big changes.  You adapt, you grow, and you move on because the alternative is that you let the changes crush you!  Now will you all buck up a bit, start acting like big tough angels again?  Cas, turn around and let me get your wings.”

            Castiel obediently turned around, noting with some dry amusement that the other angels had started washing as well.  His treasure was beyond amazing.  Every angel in the bath today was a soldier, all section leaders except for one other captain.  And it was a human treasure who was the only one among them brave enough to face the day, even though Dean was in more danger than all of them. 

            Castiel relished the feel of Dean’s tiny hands scrubbing his wings.  After today, he might never feel them again.  He splashed cleansing fluid over his face, washing it as an excuse to cover it.  He would not break down in front of Dean again. Dean was being so brave, even though Castiel knew he had to be terrified.  And the worst was yet to come.

            Selecting fine jet-black tunics for himself and Dean, Castiel headed out of the bath house, intending to walk back to the nest. But Dean stopped him with a tug on his tunic.  “Cas?”

            “Yes, treasure?”  He turned around and saw Dean standing there, arms reaching up for him. His treasure was asking to be picked up and carried.

            Castiel gathered Dean up gently, like the precious, delicate thing he was.  He held his treasure to his chest and started walking again.  Dean put his arms around his neck, his little head resting on Castiel’s collar bone.

            Back in the nest.  Dean was still, solemn green eyes watching Castiel’s every move as he prepared them both.  Castiel’s hands shook as he knelt down to tie a black sash around his treasure’s waist. The traditional color for defeated angels, the deep black color of the tunic made the paleness of Dean’s complexion even more prominent.  Castiel stopped, his hands wrapped around his treasure’s waist.  Beneath his hands, he could feel Dean’s body trembling.

            “Cas?  Um, do you think you could go human sized for a moment?”

            That was a strange request, but one Castiel was happy to comply with.  A moment later, he was rising, standing eye-to-eye with Dean

            Dean seized him roughly, fingers digging into the angel’s arms.  Castiel had just opened his mouth, surprised, when Dean clamped his own mouth to it.

            Castiel had been alive since the dawn of time. He’d certainly seen humans kiss a time or two, thought it was an odd and somewhat messy process, and had thought nothing else of it.  Humans did a lot of things that were strange, and this was just one more.  But now, with Dean kissing him, it seemed like something brand new.  There was a desperation behind it, like water to a man dying in a desert.  Dean was almost devouring him, drawing something from Castiel that was primal, deep, and never touched before.  Something spread in him, his Grace somehow reacting, reaching for Dean’s soul and finding a match there.  He’d never experienced, never even heard about, anything like it before.

            Oh, but what was this?  Dean was pushing him, forcing him back, making Castiel stumble and pushing him down into the nest.  Castiel froze.  He didn’t understand what was happening, what Dean was doing now.  Dean was still kissing him, holding him down in the nest until Castiel gasped, overwhelmed, and quickly turned his head away.  “Dean!”

            Dean grimaced.  Cas had never looked so sexy as he did now, with his lips wet and plump from kissing, those blue eyes wide and blown.  But the look in them was as much fear as anything else.  “I shouldn’t have done that,” Dean whispered.  “I don’t know what came over me, I just...  This could be the last time we’re together.  And I’ve wanted to do that to you for so long! But doing this to you without any warning?  I shouldn’t have done that.  Are you alright?”

            “I don’t know.  I feel weird.”  Castiel did indeed feel weird.  “I want you to stop.  I want you to kiss me some more.  I want you to let me up, and I want to pull you down!  What is this, Dean?  I don’t understand!”

            “I know you don’t.”  Dean kissed him again, chaste this time, on his cheek.  “It wasn’t right, pushing you into this the way I did. You’re not ready for it.  But I can’t lie and say I’m sorry I did it.  I’m not sorry, Cas.”

            Cas shivered.  “Let me up.”

            Dean let him up, and Cas quickly climbed to his feet.  He opened his wings, shook them out.  Then he shook his body like a dog’s.  He looked a little dazed.  He quickly spoke the words of his spell and was back to his normal size.

            Dean quietly looked up at him.  He moved forward, slipping his hand into Castiel’s.  “Cas?”

            “Yes, tr...  Yes, Dean?”  For some reason, it no longer felt right to call Dean ‘treasure.’  Dean wasn’t his treasure anymore.  He’d suddenly become something else.

            “If...”  Dean swallowed hard.  “If Michael takes me, I want you to promise me something.  Don’t just give me up.  Raphael tried every trick in the book to try to get me.  So I want you to do the same.  Keep fighting, ok?  Get me back!”

            Castiel opened his mouth to remind Dean that Raphael, as an archangel, had multiple avenues that Castiel, as a mere garrison captain, did not.  But instead he said, “I will.  I promise, I’ll do everything I can.  I won’t stop until I get you back.  But you need to promise me something as well, Dean.”

            “Yeah, Cas?”

            Castiel bent his knees, squatting down until he was at eye level with the human.  “Don’t you give up, either.  Don’t let him break you, Dean.  And don’t, um, please don’t kiss him, at least not the way you just kissed me?”

            A tiny hand caressed Castiel’s cheek.  “I don’t know that I’ll ever kiss anyone else the way I just kissed you.”

            Castiel covered Dean’s hand with his own and leaned his head into it, relishing the touch of the warm little hand.  But he was out of time.  He gently pushed Dean’s hand down and cleared his throat.  “Dean?  To present you to the new archangel, I have to, well...  Dean, you can’t just hold my hand.  You have to be, that is, you need secured, so there’s no chance you could run from the archangel and he has the opportunity to select you.  So...”

            “You gotta tie me up again.”  Dean looked and sounded miserable.  “I figured as much.  Just get it over with, alright?  Let’s just get this whole thing over with!”

            At least Dean didn’t struggle.  When he held quiet and still, letting Castiel tie his hands, it was something of a blessing.  But the look in his eyes when Castiel picked him up and flew with him to the offering field cut like a knife.

            Protocol demanded that treasures offered to the archangel were secure.  That meant large items would be propped up to prevent them from falling, small objects would be weighted down, and living treasures would be securely bound. Castiel had tied Dean’s hands in front of him.  Now he pushed a metal stake into the ground and fastened Dean’s rope to it.  Dean was trembling, staring at his trapped hands. Castiel saw him tug on the stake. Of course he couldn’t budge it. Then Dean slowly raised his eyes, looking up at Castiel.  “Michael doesn’t care for human treasures,” Castiel reminded, hating the tremor in his voice.  “He probably won’t want you.  Then I can take you back, and you’ll be safe!”

            Dean, of course, knew enough by now that the human understood all the flaws in Castiel’s statement.  But he nodded anyway.  “Just remember your promise, alright?”

            “And you remember yours.”  Castiel cupped Dean’s head, kissed the top of it.  Then he turned and walked away, leaving the human who’d come to mean more to him than his own life alone to face the archangel.

            Michael’s victory parade seemed endless.  Dean’s lower back ached.  The stake he was tied to pulled him forward.  He shifted around, alternating between sitting with his legs bent, sitting with them straight, and going on his knees.  He kept on his knees as much as he could, because he’d be damned if he’d be on his knees when this son of a bitch came to inspect him.  Dean clenched his fists.  He hated this, hated that he and Cas had to go through it, hated the look in his angel’s eyes when Cas had turned and walked back to the angels in his garrison. There were an alarming number missing.  Dean tried to stay calm, to prepare himself mentally for whatever might come.  But as the time dragged by, he got more and more irritated.  The son of a bitch was apparently marching clear around the world, by as long as he was taking!  Dean hoped that wasn’t actually true, but he supposed it was possible.  He actually had no idea how many archangels there were in Heaven.  If there were only two, then Michael had just literally won the entire planet.  Dean stifled a groan.  He could be trapped like this for days!

            But then he heard a trumpet fanfare, and realized that the archangel was finally coming.  Dean gritted his teeth.  “Ok, motherfucker,” he whispered.  “I’ll make damned sure you don’t want me.  If you take me, you’re setting yourself up for a world of trouble!” Dean adjusted his position, tucking his legs in a way that no one could possibly mistake for kneeling.  He had every intention of staring this son of a bitch right in the eye, making sure Michael knew that Dean would be the most rebellious, disobedient, unruly pain in the ass of a treasure any angel could have the misfortune of owning.  Michael wouldn’t want him then.  Dean only had to show him that claiming him would be a mistake of epic proportions. Then he could go back to Cas, and everything would be alright.

            Castiel’s breathing grew rapid.  He remained stiffly at attention, but his wings twitched, wanting to tuck or flare defensively.  It was unprofessional.  To Castiel’s surprise, he found he didn’t care.  He could see Dean.  The field of offerings was ahead of where he stood, and Dean was at the front, with the other offerings of the captains.  Dean was upset.  The little human’s cheeks were red, his shoulders hunched.  There was another human treasure, a woman, back with the offerings of the section leaders.  She was sobbing, pulling desperately on the rope that fastened her to the stake.  Her hands were tied behind her, like Dean’s probably should have been.  Once again, Castiel realized that he didn’t care.  It had been hard enough to tie Dean’s hands.  Castiel couldn’t bring himself to confine Dean any more than he had to.  But now, watching his lovely little human, Castiel realized he might have made a mistake. If he’d tied Dean’s hands behind him, maybe Dean would have given into despair, too?  Maybe Dean would be crying like the other human?  Seeing Dean sob the way she was would break Castiel’s heart. But it might have helped keep Dean safe. That fire, that defiance in Dean’s eyes that had initially drawn Castiel’s attention to him was blazing now.  Dean angry was Dean at his most beautiful.

            And now, the archangel was approaching, walking with his attendants to select his treasures.  As tradition dictated, he started at the rear, with the treasures of the lowest ranked enemy angels.  His finger pointed at this or that treasure, and an attendant immediately ran to it, tore off the claiming band, and applied one of Michael’s.  The archangel paused for a moment in front of the sobbing woman, shook his head, and moved on.  Castiel dared to hope.

            Michael kept moving, looking over the offerings. Now he was at the front, looking over the offerings of the captains.  He’d already helped himself to over half of the section leader offerings.  Now he was taking nearly all of the captains’ treasures. The offering field was littered with broken bands.  Michael’s attendants hurried to pile his new treasures off the field and rush back for more.

            The archangel paused, looking down at Dean.

            Dean looked up, glaring at Michael.  No, Dean, Castiel thought frantically.  No.  Don’t challenge him.  Don’t show him your spirit!  Lower your head, be submissive, and don’t let him see that fire!  But Dean had never been submissive.  His eyes locked with those of the archangel, and his lips curled back into a snarl.  It was, without a doubt, a direct challenge to the archangel himself.

            His green eyes were full of that familiar fire. Castiel had never seen Dean look so beautiful.

            From where he stood helplessly looking on, Castiel saw Michael’s eyes go wide.  Quick as a flash, his hand shot out, grasped Castiel’s claiming band and snapped it off.  It felt like something inside of Castiel broke with it.  Dean blinked in surprise, staring at the broken band as Michael’s angel blade flashed, cutting him free from the stake.  He seized the rope still binding Dean’s hands, dragged him to his feet, and a moment later, the claiming band was around Dean’s neck.

            Dean gasped, then cried out as Michael lifted him triumphantly.  “A fine collection!” he announced.  “Angels, I accept your offerings!  Welcome to my service.  Serve me well, and we shall all prosper!”

            Castiel barely heard him in the speech that followed. His eyes were locked with Dean’s. Dean looked back at him, squirming and kicking as he dangled from Michael’s arm.  Michael never handed his new treasure to one of his assistants. He carried Dean the entire time.

            Then, leaving his assistants to the job of transporting the rest of his new treasures, Michael pulled Dean closer, spread his wings, took to the sky, and was gone.

            Dean was gone.

***

            The flight seemed to go on forever.  Dean dangled from the archangel’s arm and squeezed his eyes shut.  He wasn’t sure what terrified him most, the flight, or what would come at the end of it. But all too soon, the former was over, and the latter had just begin.

            The very first thing Michael did when he was in his nest was throw Dean down on the nearest available surface, shove his hand into Dean’s chest, and carve his name into Dean’s soul.  Dean clenched his teeth, hissing through it, refusing to scream even though the archangel’s power lanced into him in a way Cas’s never had. When it was finally over, Michael picked him up again.  Then he was walking, Dean dangling limply from his arm while the archangel directed the placement of his new treasures.  And Dean was furious.  When Michael made the mistake of walking too close to an elaborate, beautiful glass urn, Dean kicked out, knocking the urn into the wall, where it shattered.

            Sudden shocked silence.  Michael’s attendants froze, staring at Dean in shocked incredulity.  Michael was still for a moment.  And then he began to laugh.  He said something in Angelspeak and the attendants bowed and filed quickly out, leaving him alone with Dean.

            “You gonna beat the shit out of me now?” Dean asked, putting as much defiance as he could into his voice to hide the telltale tremor of real fear he was feeling.

            “No,” Michael said, surprising him.  “I have no need to!  Besides, it would only break your spirit quicker, and that’s not what I want at all.”

            “It’s not?”

            The archangel gave a snort.  “You know, my treasure, I could have defeated that fool Raphael some time ago.  But I didn’t. I let him press me, let him believe he was winning, before I destroyed him.  And that made the defeat in his eyes when he knelt at my feet all the sweeter! You see, it’s not the eventual victory that matters to me.  I know I’ll never be defeated.  Raphael was the last real enemy I had, and I vanquished him easily.  No, the real pleasure comes in the fight itself.”

            “You son of a bitch!  You let that war go on just because you got your rocks off on fighting?!  People died! Your own angels died!”

            Michael was unconcerned.  “They’re soldiers.  That’s what they’re for.”

            Dean saw red.  He swore, kicked at the archangel and raised his bound hands.  “Let me loose!”

            “Certainly.  There’s no need to keep you bound.”  His blade flashed, and Dean was suddenly free.  “After all, it’s not as though you can get away.”

            “Try me, motherfucker!”  Dean pounded angrily on the arm around him.  “Put me down!  You’re not getting a damned thing from me!  I’m not going to give you any affection, so I’ll be shit value as a treasure!”

            “I don’t care.  I’m an archangel!  I didn’t select you for your value as a treasure because I need no treasure to prove my rank.”

            “Then why did you take me?!” Dean exclaimed.  “What the hell do you want from me?!”

            “Your fight.”  The archangel’s face split into a predatory grin.  “You don’t want to belong to me?  You want to escape?  Go ahead! Fight, struggle, plot against me. Do everything you can to try to get away, get free.  Destroy all of my treasures.  I won’t care any more about any of them than I did for the one you already broke.  So do your worst.  I won’t beat you.  I’ll simply keep you, force you to submit to my will.  And that, my treasure, is how I’ll defeat you.”  He stroked Dean’s hair, the gentleness of the gesture belying his words. “Humans are social animals.  And you’ll break, come to me because I’ll be all you have.  You’ll depend on me for absolutely everything, and you’ll do as I wish.  You’ll be given no choice.  And eventually, in time, you’ll learn to accept it.”

            “Like hell I will!  Let go of me!”

            Michael chuckled.  “No.  You’re mine, utterly and completely mine.  And you don’t understand now, but you have all the time in the world to learn your place!”


	27. The Fallen Archangel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Dean's will is slowly broken, a desperate Castiel seeks out help to save him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Won't be updating this weekend. Going to be shitfaced from tonight clear through to Monday morning. Probably won't respond to comments right away, but if I do? Please recognize the state I will be in and forgive me.

            Castiel’s sandals carefully moved over the treacherous footing, sliding on the loose shale around the opening into the side of the jagged peak, wings slightly outstretched for balance.  “Raphael?” he called.  “It’s Castiel.  I mean you no harm.  I only want to speak with you!”

            No answer.  Castiel grimaced.  It had taken him two days to track the defeated archangel this far.  Two more days that Dean was still trapped with Michael, followed by however long it would take his desperate plan to work? If it even worked!  No.  Don’t think that way, Castiel.  Keep Dean in the front of your mind, find the strength to get through this and do what you must to save him.  Saving Dean was all that mattered.  But of course, if Raphael attacked him, Castiel wouldn’t be saving anyone.  He tucked his wings as much as he could, sliding over the uneven surface, and approached the opening.

            Old blood.  It was present in small pools on the ground, in a hand-shaped smear on one wall. The smell of it filled the opening, old blood and bile and decay, burned flesh and rotting meat.  Castiel swallowed hard.  “Raphael!  Won’t you please speak with me?”

            “What do you want?”

            The voice was harsh, raspy as though the speaker were talking through a throat lined with sandpaper.  Castiel dared to step into the opening, empty hands raised and in plain view.  “I want to talk to you.”

            “So talk!”

            “May I come in?”

            “No.  Talk from there.  Why have you sought me out, Castiel?  What’s this about?”

            “Michael.”

            A hiss came from the darkness deep in the side of the peak.  “Have you come to finish what he started?”

            “No.  I’m here to help you, if I can.”

            “Why?”

            “So that you can help me.”

            That produced a laugh from the darkness. “Help you?  Why should I help you?”

            “Because no one else is willing to come and help you,” Castiel declared.  “Because neither of us has anywhere else to turn.  And because what Michael did to you?  It was unspeakable!”

            The darkness spun out a low chuckle.  “He’s right, you know.  I let my greed get the better of me.  This whole time, it was nothing more than a game to him.  When those guardians fought over that bit of territory, and we claimed it so easily?  I thought it was an opportunity, Castiel!  I thought that I could rule, that I could cast out Michael as easily as we did Gabriel.  Even when the war dragged on and things seemed to be in a stalemate, I still believed I could win.  He let me have just enough of a taste of victory that I craved more.  I kept fighting, Castiel.  And when we won the city, I believed we were on the brink of winning the war.”

            “Michael outwitted us all, Raphael,” Castiel offered. “Now that we’ve seen the extent of his forces, we know we never could have won.  But he never showed his hand!  No one could have known he only craved the war.  He’s mad, Raphael.  We all lost good angels, both sides.  Heaven and Earth has been torn apart, all so he could slake his bloodlust.”

            “I should have known.”  Raphael’s voice had gone soft.  “After we defeated Lucifer, Michael had a taste for war, real war. He talked about it often, always wanting to discuss old glories.  I think he actually hoped that Gabriel would fight back, but when he didn’t?  Well it was shortly after Gabriel left that the trouble started, wasn’t it, Castiel?”

            “The timing does seem consistent,” Castiel agreed.

            “He found someone that would fight back.” The archangel was bitter now. “And that’s what he wanted.”

            “Yes it is.  And now that the war is over, I’m afraid for Dean!”

            “Your treasure?  Ah.  Michael took him.”

            “Yes.”

            A sigh came from the darkness.  “I am sorry, Castiel.  Your treasure was very beautiful.”

            “I need to save him, Raphael!  I promised him that I would!”

            “Then you made a foolish promise.”  Movement from the darkness, the sound of sandals moving on the ground inside the opening.  The light illuminated the figure stepping into it.

            Castiel had stood with the other captains, watching in horror as Michael had punished Raphael.  More than one angel had gotten physically sick as the torture had gone on and on.  By the time he’d finally made it back to his nest and Dean, Castiel had been sure the awful memory would haunt his dreams for the rest of eternity.  Raphael had been beaten so severely that there was hardly an inch of unmarked skin.  One eye was so damaged it would likely never heal.  All of the bones in his fingers, hands, and arms had been broken.  But the worst was his wings.  Raphael’s wings had been broken and burned.  Now they twitched on his back, ruined things that reeked of burned flesh and decay.  Raphael laughed harshly, revealing a mouth full of jagged, shattered teeth.  “I was never so pretty as you, Castiel, but I’m much less so now, aren’t I?”

            “I’m sorry,” Castiel said humbly.  “Can I help you, heal any of this?”

            Raphael grunted.  Castiel carefully stepped forward and gingerly touched the battered archangel’s forehead.  Immediately, Raphael hissed in relief, some of his wounds mending.  “Don’t exhaust yourself,” he advised.  “It was another archangel that did this.  Most of it is beyond your power or mine.  But thank you, all the same.”  He held up his twisted hands.  “At least now I have some use of my hands.  For that, you have my gratitude.”

            “Of course, archangel.”

            Raphael’s one good eye seemed to study him. “Alright.  You have my attention, Castiel.  You’ve been tracking me for some time now, haven’t you?”

            “I have.  I need your help.”

            “To save your treasure!”  Raphael shook his head, looking amazed.  “I can certainly see the appeal of your beautiful human, Castiel, but what is it about him that you’ll go to such lengths, leaving your post, drawing Michael’s wrath to seek me out?”

            “Dean is more than a treasure to me. He’s...  I’m not sure.  But since he was taken from me, I feel as though I’ve lost part of myself.  And what Michael has been doing to him?” Castiel clenched his fists.

            “He’s beating him?”

            “No, not physically.  What he’s doing is worse.  Dean, you’ve seen it, his fire, his spirit?  That’s why Michael took him.”

            “He is very beautiful, Castiel.”

            “Yes, but it’s not his beauty Michael wants! Dean is struggling, resisting.  He knows that’s what Michael wants, but Dean... Michael is learning all of the things that Dean can’t bear.  And he’s doing them in full view of all.  Dean hates being hand fed, and Michael was doing it, and then forcing Dean to clean his fingers, right out on the streets where any angel passing by could see them. He hates being bound or confined, so Michael would tie him up and then leave him, trussed and helpless, off to the side during the captains’ meetings.  And he’s been starving Dean of all social contact.  He was keeping Dean locked in a cage, not even holding him at night to give him that much contact!  Now he’s started chaining Dean, leaving him trapped alone in a corner while Michael goes about his business and all but ignores him.”

            “That makes no sense,” Raphael said.  “What is the point of claiming a human treasure, if not for the companionship they provide?”

            “Michael doesn’t want Dean’s companionship.  He only wants Dean’s pain!  It’s been nineteen days, Raphael, since Dean was claimed. And it’s been a week since he spoke, even when I’ve tried to get him to speak to me while Michael was distracted elsewhere.  That fire? It’s going out!  Michael is breaking Dean without laying a hand on him! I can’t let it happen!  I have to save him!”

            Raphael scoffed.  “It’s a real shame, what he’s doing to your treasure, but considering my own situation?”  Raphael indicated his wings.  “I’m afraid my empathy is somewhat lacking.  What do you want, Castiel?  Did you really expect me to face Michael again for the sake of a human treasure?”

            “No.  I would face Michael, Gabriel, you, and Lucifer at once for Dean!  But I know he’s not enough for you.  I’m here for Dean, but I’m asking for your help for someone else.”

            “Who?”

            “You.  Raphael, you were beaten and tortured in front of all of your loyal troops, myself included.  Whatever mistakes you’ve made, whatever ill will there was between us for the sake of Dean? I never wished to see you brought low, much less tortured the way Michael tortured you!  You are my archangel.  Watching you go through that was sickening!  We were all sickened by it!  None of your angels is loyal to Michael out of anything but obligation. Uriel, he is a captain now.  He and I have discussed this, spoken with several other captains, and we are all in agreement.  If our true archangel were to return?  We would renounce Michael and follow you!”

            “Follow me where?  To what end?  I’m beaten!” The mangled wings rose slightly. “If I tried to reclaim my territory and my army now, Michael would simply finish the job of killing me, along with you, Uriel, and any other angel who dared to rise with me!”

            “I know,” Castiel said calmly.  “That’s why I need you to come with me and ask Gabriel for help.”

            “Gabriel!”  Raphael spat on the ground.  “Gabriel gave up his command without a whimper.  That coward wasn’t even around!  It took three days before he even realized he’d been overthrown!”

            “And what could he do?” Castiel asked. “Gabriel and his guardians couldn’t stand up to the full might of Heaven!  Between you and Michael, he would have been crushed!  Gabriel accepted the shame of his banishment rather than risk his guardians in a war to try to keep his power that he knew he could never win.  And that, Raphael, is why his guardians love him.  They know what he gave up for their sakes, and they are still loyal to him! I saw it, first hand!”

            “While they played with you, you mean?”

            Castiel straightened.  “Yes.  With Gabriel and his guardians, it’s no different than it is with you and your angels. If Gabriel calls, the guardians will abandon Michael in an instant and take up arms for him.  And if he combines his forces with yours?  Then, Raphael, we can stand against Michael!”

            The idea put a gleam in the battered archangel’s eye.  Castiel waited, letting Raphael mull it over.  Finally, he nodded.  “Alright. But first, we have to get Gabriel to agree.  And I’m interested in hearing how you plan to accomplish that?  He told you he had plans for you and your treasure.  And yet, he made no move to stop the attack on our forces, despite having full knowledge of what was coming!”

            “I actually have no idea what he had planned,” Castiel confessed.  “He did have something in mind, something he was going to do the day Dean and I escaped. He had plans for the two of us that we never learned.  But it doesn’t matter.  We’ll convince Gabriel to help us because we have no other choice, and because Michael won’t stop.  Michael’s lust for blood and violence has been sated for now, but he’ll turn on Gabriel soon enough.  If Gabriel doesn’t help us stop him now, then it’s only a matter of time before he falls, as well!”

            “You’re right,” Raphael agreed.  “But there is one huge problem with your plan.  You see, I already tried to go to Gabriel, after I was thrown down to Earth.  I had hoped he would forgive me enough to offer some healing, perhaps even some shelter. But the nest you described has been abandoned.  The guardians I encountered did me no harm, but they all turned their backs on me. Gabriel wants nothing to do with me! We can’t convince him of anything if he refuses to listen!”

            “Then we’ll have to get his attention.”

            Raphael cocked his head.  “What did you have in mind?”

            Castiel straightened his shoulders.  “There is one thing that I know for certain Gabriel wants.  It’s something he’s been actively seeking out for some time now.  If you can provide it, then his guardians will bring you to him and you’ll be able to speak with him.”

            “And what is this that he wants?”

            Castiel swallowed hard.  “His treasure.  The greatest treasure any angel can claim.”

***

            The guardians stirred, watching the battered figure as it approached.  The wretched creature was difficult to look at as it made its shambling way towards them. Black ichor stained the back of the filthy, malodorous tunic.  A single eye peered out at them.  “Guardians!” it announced.  “I bring a gift, and seek an audience with the archangel Gabriel!”

            That produced a laugh.  “What could you possibly have to offer our archangel?”

            “A treasure of immense value,” Raphael announced. “One that I know Gabriel has been eagerly seeking out.”

            The guardians looked hard at the bundle under the visitor’s arm.  The turned to regard each other.  Finally one of them nodded.  “Approach, with caution.  We don’t fear you anymore, Archangel Raphael.”

            Raphael flinched.  He held the blanket-wrapped bundle against his chest and followed.

            The guardian led him further into the group of abandoned buildings.  Damaged long ago by the war, the empty husks stood sentinel, gazing down in silent condemnation on one of the two beings directly responsible for their condition. Raphael let his one good eye roam over them, noting the damage.  Then he hurried after the guardians.  There were more of them now.  They were fading into view, walking through the empty buildings and broken landscape, soaring down from above, dozens, a hundred of them all surrounding him.  It was a mob.  They circled like wolves, moving around Raphael as he moved further and further into the abandoned town until he reached the town center.

            “Raphie!  Long time, no see!  I gotta say, you’ve looked better.”

            “Hello, Gabriel.”  Raphael turned and faced the other archangel.  Gabriel was coming through the mob, the familiar swagger and knowing smirk a welcome sight.  “Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

            “I didn’t agree to shit.  I was told you had a gift?”  Gabriel eyed the bundle in Raphael’s arms.  “And if that’s what I’m hoping it is, I’m going to be a very, very happy archangel!”

            “Yes.  I brought you something that I was told you’ve been looking for.”  Raphael pulled off the blankets and held his gift forward. “Archangel Gabriel, I’m returning your lost treasure.”

            Castiel couldn’t keep himself from flinching as Gabriel eagerly reached for him.  Letting Raphael take his Grace and reduce him to human size had been difficult, but letting the archangel carry him wrapped in a blanket to hide him until he could be presented to Gabriel had been even worse.  He’d had no idea where they were going or what might happen.  Now Gabriel held him with one arm, using the other to slip a claiming band around his neck, and Castiel flinched once more.  “There you are, you naughty little angel!” Gabriel scolded.  “You are in so much trouble, young man!  Now where is your...  Ah, there’s his Grace!” Gabriel said, accepting the glowing vial from Raphael. “Yes, this time, I’ll have to take a little more care about where I store this.”  He made the vial disappear.

            “Sorry,” Castiel managed.  He couldn’t look up at Gabriel.  His fists were clenched in an effort to keep from trying to tear the band off of his neck.

            “Will you speak with me now, Gabriel?” Raphael wanted to know.

            Gabriel wrinkled his nose.  “But Raphie, you’re all...  Ew?  And the smell!”  He fanned a hand in front of his nose.  “If I take you back to my nest, I’ll be smelling that for a month!”  Gabriel sighed dramatically.  “Fine.  Here.”

            Raphael let out a little whimper as Gabriel’s healing power washed over him.  The terrible wounds mended, his ruined wings arched, the blackened flesh flaking off as new flesh appeared.

            “It’ll take some time for the feathers to grow back, but you look, and smell, much better already,” Gabriel noted.  He wrapped both arms around Castiel, holding the little angel to his chest.  “Alright, follow me, and we’ll talk!”

            Raphael followed, his eyes on Castiel in Gabriel’s arms.  Castiel was beautiful.  Raphael had been peripherally aware of that fact, but he’d never really noticed before just how beautiful the angel really was.  He’d been shocked and appalled at the idea of Gabriel claiming a captain, but now, seeing the lovely little blue-eyed angel dangle from Gabriel’s arms, the silver claiming band around his neck?  Yes, he could see the appeal.  “Your treasure is very beautiful,” he ventured.

            “Isn’t he, though?” Gabriel lifted his treasure closer to his face.  “I may just start a whole new trend, but that’s a conversation for later.  Let me get this naughty, pretty little thing back to my nest.  And you and I can talk deal!”


	28. Deals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel tries to convince Gabriel to help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Had a great time and even got me some venison! Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

            “Gabriel!  Where are you?  Let me out!”

            No response.  Of course not.  Who knew where Gabriel was now?  Castiel angrily shook the bars of his cage.  He kicked at the door and then paced the tiny circle that the bars allowed, unthinkingly pulling on the claiming band around his neck.  Gabriel had stopped at his nest long enough to recreate the cage and lock Castiel inside of it.  Then he’d headed back out with Raphael.  Now they’d been gone for hours.  The cage wasn’t big enough for him to lie down, only around three feet square at the base.  He could stand, pace a little bit, sit down, lean against the bars or curl into a tight ball.  That was it. Gabriel had been kind enough to provide him with a glass of water, resting on a table that Castiel could reach through the bars.  He’d long ago finished it.  But he couldn’t reach anything else through the bars of the cage.  He couldn’t get out of the cage.  He was hopelessly trapped until Gabriel let him out.

            He also had no idea what was happening between Raphael and Gabriel.  Had the archangels come to an agreement?  Raphael knew the details of Castiel’s plan.  He’d known when he’d left Heaven that he would likely never come back.  Gabriel, he knew, hadn’t lied when he’d told Castiel that he’d planned to keep him.  Returning to Gabriel meant returning to being the archangel’s greatest treasure.  Now Gabriel would never let him go.  It was a price Castiel was willing to pay, provided that Gabriel joined in the fight and saved Dean.  But as the time went on and on with no word from either archangel, horrible scenarios went through the imprisoned angel’s head.  What if Gabriel choose to just keep him and banish Raphael? What if Raphael got greedy again, tried to make demands of Gabriel?  What if Gabriel had imprisoned Raphael?  What if he’d killed Raphael?  What if the two of them had made their own deal, chosen to abandon Heaven and its affairs just as Gabriel had already done?  What if Raphael had walked away entirely, having successfully gotten rid of Castiel and received healing?

            The worst part was not knowing.  No, that was a lie.  The worst part was knowing that, regardless of what happened, there was absolutely nothing that Castiel could do.  The moment Raphael had given him to Gabriel, Castiel’s fate was sealed.  Now, come what may, he would simply have to bear it.

            Gabriel suddenly strolled in, whistling cheerfully. “Hello, treasure!  Did you miss me?”

            “Are you going to help us, Gabriel?”

            Gabriel looked disappointed.  “Does this mean you didn’t miss me?”

            Castiel sighed.  “Let me out and talk to me.”

            “Awww, do you need a cuddle?”  He opened the door of the cage and reached inside. “C’mere!”

            “Gabriel, please!” Castiel called, shying away. “Just tell me if you’re going to help us!”

            “What I’m going to do is have dinner and feed my treasure,” Gabriel announced, picking Castiel up despite his attempts to squirm away.  “Then I’m going to lie down for a well-deserved rest.  Dealing with archangels is so exhausting!”

            “Why are you doing this, Gabriel?” Castiel exclaimed, struggling.  “I just need to know if you’re going to help us!”

            “I feel like steak today.  Have you ever had steak, Cassie?”  He carried Castiel over to the table.

            “Why won’t you answer me?!”

            “You look thinner, Cassie.  Have you been losing weight?  No one’s been properly feeding my poor little treasure?”

            “Stop this, Gabriel!  Just answer the damned question!”

            “Now now, no swearing at the dinner table!” Gabriel settled down, pinning Castiel’s arms and legs.  He picked up a piece of meat.

            Castiel struggled frantically.  “No, stop!  If you’re not going to help us, then you’re not keeping me!  Let me go!”

            “Castieeeeeeel?” Gabriel singsonged.  “I banded you today!  You’re mine!”

            “No!  Let go of me! Let go!”

            “You know, you surprise me,” Gabriel said. His voice did sound surprised. “Raphael?  My brother is simple.  His reasons for coming to me were simple as well.  But you?  You’re not so simple.”

            “It’s very simple, Gabriel!  Do you see this band you put around my neck?!  I let you put it there!  I gave up everything for your help, let you take me, do this to me again, just so you’d listen to what Raphael had to tell you.  Now all I want to know is if you’re actually going to help us!”

            Gabriel ate a piece of the meat, smacking his lips. “That’s good,” he declared, picking up another piece.  “Here, have some!”

            “Tell me if you’re going to help us!”

            “Eat first, then talk.”

            “No!  Tell me, or let me go!”

            “Now that’s not going to happen!”  Gabriel sighed.  “What difference does it make to you, what I decide?  You’re mine either way.”

            “Because I want to know if I can just accept whatever you’ll do to me, or spend the rest of my mortal life trying every waking moment to get away from you!”

            “Aw, now, don’t be like that!  Here, have a bite to eat.”

            The piece of meat touched his lips, and Castiel strained, twisting his head away.  “No, stop!  Gabriel, please, help us!  You’re the only chance he’s got!”

            “Aaah, now we get to the ‘meat’ of the matter!” Gabriel waved the piece of meat. “Eat this, then talk.”

            Castiel groaned and opened his mouth, letting Gabriel feed him the piece of meat.  He chewed, and then blinked in surprise.

            “Good, isn’t it?”  Gabriel popped another piece into his own mouth and moaned.  “That’s the stuff!  Prime black angus, medium rare!  Have another bite.”

            Castiel let Gabriel feed him another bite.  “I ate, now talk to me!”

            “You gonna stop fighting and let me keep feeding you?” Gabriel said, talking around his own bite of food.  “Because I have to tell you, the constant struggling and yelling and having to pin you down and force you is just hell on my appetite.”

            “If I stop fighting you, and let you feed me, will you talk to me then?”

            “Sure!”

            “Then yes.”

            Gabriel happily freed Castiel’s limbs.  He pulled the little angel up into his lap, holding him with an arm around Castiel’s middle.  Then he fed Castiel another piece of meat.  “Alright.  All this time, you’ve been speaking of we, us,” he noted, taking another bite for himself. “But just now, you said, ‘You’re the only chance HE’s got.’  Who’s this mysterious he?”

            Castiel squirmed.  He accepted another bite as an excuse not to answer right away.  But he knew Gabriel wouldn’t let it go. “Michael has Dean.”

            Gabriel chewed thoughtfully.  “Yes, I guessed that much when you came in here without him. That green-eyed beauty of yours wouldn’t have been safe anywhere in Heaven or Earth.  Another bite, there you go.  He wouldn’t have been safe, so you wouldn’t have left him behind.  Not willingly, anyway.  And since you’re a garrison captain, which means you would have had to put your greatest treasure up on the offering field for Michael? That tells me one thing.”

            “Michael took him,” Castiel whispered.  “He took him, Gabriel!  My Dean, Michael took him away.  And he’s killing him, Gabriel!  Do you remember the fire in his eyes?  Do you remember his spirit, Gabriel, how he just fought and defied you at every turn until he finally stole me away, literally from right under your nose?”

            “Yeah, I try not to think about that.”  His arm tightened around Castiel.

            “The last time I saw Dean, he was sitting in a corner in Michael’s nest,” Castiel recalled.  “Michael keeps him in a cage, did you know that, Gabriel?  It’s like the one you locked me into, but it’s worse. Because Michael doesn’t hold him, he just cages Dean every night!  Every single night, my Dean is all alone, locked in a cage like an animal.  And then in the morning, after he feeds him, Michael locks a collar around Dean’s neck and chains him in a corner behind his chair during the captains’ meetings.  The chain, Gabriel, keeps Dean away from everyone and anyone who comes into Michael’s nest.  No one is allowed to interact with him.  He’s simply there, alone, just watching, Gabriel.  That’s all he can do is just...  Just watch.  Until Michael comes and asks him if he’d like to be held today?”  Castiel shook his head.  “Usually, Dean just looks away, doesn’t say anything.  But the day I left Heaven?  Dean said yes.  He said yes to Michael!  And Michael just laughed and tried to make him ask for it, make Dean actually ask Michael to pick him up, hold him!  And Dean was so close to doing it!  I could see it in his eyes, Gabriel because that fire?  It was all but gone!”

            Gabriel didn’t say anything.  He’d gone still, a thoughtful frown on his face as he listened.

            “Michael’s breaking Dean, wearing him down like water wearing down a stone, and he’s primarily doing it by simply neglecting him. Dean’s starving for touch, for social interaction, for anything other than cages and chains and constant solitude. That day, Dean glanced at me and then looked away, and Michael left him there alone again.  Dean just leaned into that corner, Gabriel, curled up and just stared off into space.  And that’s when I knew I had to do something.  That’s when I told Uriel my plan and I left to find Raphael, so we could come and approach you.”

            “Huh!”  Gabriel was still frowning, seeming to be thinking hard about something.  “So you really did give up your own freedom last time for his, and now you’ve done it again?”

            “What choice did I have?!  You wouldn’t speak to Raphael, but I knew you still wanted me because some guardians told me, tried to capture me.”

            “Of course I wanted you!  I claimed you, didn’t I?  You’re mine, Castiel, and I was going to get you back one way or another. You never should have left!” Gabriel leaned down, kissed Castiel’s temple.  “I missed my beautiful treasure.”

            Castiel clenched his fists at that, but kept his voice steady.  “That’s how I figured out how to get your attention.  I realized that, if Raphael brought me to you, you might be willing to listen.”

            “Good plan.”  Gabriel abruptly let Castiel go, pulling the little angle up into his lap. “Eat up, treasure.”

            Castiel eyed him.  “You’re not going to feed me anymore?”

            “Is that necessary, or are you going to eat?”

            Castiel reached for the food on the table and quietly ate.  He didn’t understand what Gabriel was doing, but the archangel was clearly in deep thought. After the meal, Gabriel picked him up without a word and went to his nest, pulling Castiel in as he lay down.

            Castiel squirmed.  “Are you going to help us?”

            “I don’t know yet.  Let me sleep on it.”

            There was nothing more that Castiel could say. Gabriel got a good grip on him, one arm around his waist, the other across his chest, gripping Castiel’s shoulder. “Do not squirm away,” Gabriel warned. “I locked the nest so there’s no point.”

            Castiel didn’t respond.  He didn’t squirm away.  He also got no sleep.  Once again, Gabriel snored loudly.  Castiel had no choice but to put up with it.

            Finally, Gabriel woke up.  Castiel immediately started squirming until Gabriel let him go. “Now will you talk to me?”

            “Sure.”  Gabriel yawned, stood up and stretched.  Then he immediately picked Castiel up again and headed out, taking to the skies.

            Once they landed, Castiel irritably started squirming again.  “Are you going to help us or not?”

            Gabriel scoffed.  “Castiel, I am not getting into a slugfest with Michael, alright?  That’s a fight I can’t win, and it’s just not going to happen!”

            Castiel gave a furious cry.  “Then I won’t let you have me!  Give me back my Grace and let me go so I can try to find another way to save him!”

            “No, my treasure, you’re not going anywhere.”

            Castiel felt something snap inside of him.  He went into a frenzy of struggling, thrashing and fighting, even trying to bite Gabriel.  “You’re not keeping me!” he screamed.  “Let go of me!  I won’t let you have me if you won’t help!  Damn you, Gabriel, let go!  Please!  You have to!  Let me go!”

            “Is that how he screamed, Castiel?”

            It was a new voice, one Castiel didn’t know. Still, it sounded vaguely familiar. He twisted around, peering past Gabriel’s arm.

            Three humans were waiting in the building as Gabriel entered.  The first was Raphael’s former treasure, Stanley.  Next to him was Anna’s old treasure, the red-haired Charlie.  Both were nearly unrecognizable without their familiar white tunics and silver claiming bands.  Stanley was standing close to Charlie, as if for protection, while she glared at Castiel with narrowed eyes.  But neither of these two had spoken.  “Is that how Dean screamed when you took him?” the third human, a brown-haired young male asked.  “Did he beg and struggle the way you’re doing?  Did he plead with you to let him go?  Because you didn’t!  You took him away, and the next time I saw him, you were dragging him through the streets on the end of a chain like a dog!”

            “There’s someone I’d like you to meet,” Gabriel announced.  “You already know Stanley and Charlie.  This young man is Sam Winchester.  And I believe you have a mutual acquaintance.”


	29. Sammy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam finally faces the monster who took his brother away

            The little angel looked hard at Sam. “Sammy?  You’re Sammy, right?  Dean’s brother!”  He squirmed. “Sammy, please, talk to Gabriel! Make him let me go so I can help your brother!”

            Sam’s fists clenched in anger, hearing the angel call him by the name his brother always used.  “Oh, that’s rich!” he sneered.  “I saw you, Castiel, dragging my brother away from me on the end of a chain!”

            And he’d never forget it.  After the angel battle, when Dean had been pinned and insisted Sam leave him behind, Sam had waited and waited for his brother to come into the bunker.  When it hadn’t happened, he’d gone back to where he’d left Dean, expecting the worst. But Dean was gone.  Sam had looked over the bodies arranged for the funeral pyre, looking carefully into the dead, often ruined faces for his brother.  He’d been sure Dean wasn’t among them.  He’d dared to hope.  Dean was clever.  Dean was resourceful.  He was hiding somewhere, maybe with a group of angel hunters.  He’d heard such things existed, although his father had scoffed and told him not to be stupid, there was no such thing.  Even Uncle Bobby had said only an idjit would believe that. If there was a way to defeat angels, it would have been tried.  But still, Dean hadn’t come back.

            Then had come the day the angels marched through town, and Sam had finally learned what had become of his brother.  When he’d first been told that Dean had been seen, that he’d been a captive of the angels, he couldn’t believe it.  That Dean had gotten free and nearly managed to escape had come as no surprise to Sam.  While it sickened and terrified Sam that his brother had been taken by the angels, he once again had hope.  Dean would be gathering intel during his captivity.  He’d learn something, or maybe get hold of one of their weapons so people could reproduce it and finally fight back.  Dean would save the world!

            But when the second parade happened and he’d finally seen his brother again, Dean was in no condition to be saving anyone.

            Dean had been dressed in a smaller version of the white tunic the marching angels wore, moving past the black-tunicked angels. Dean’s hands had been tied behind his back.  A thick metal collar encircled his throat, a heavy chain was being held by one of the white tunicked angels.  Dean was trapped, and being paraded through the streets.  And when Sam screamed for him, when Dean turned and he’d seen the horror in his older brother’s eyes, it felt like the world was ending.

            Sam had seen it all.  The way Dean fought.  How his sandals had skidded over the ground.  How he’d struggled to free his hands.  How the metal collar had bitten cruelly into his throat, choking Dean as it had dragged him away, forced him away even as he’d screamed for Sam, tried desperately to reach his younger brother.  But the monster who held his chain had never slowed down.  He’d dragged Dean away without so much as a glance.

            By the time Sam had managed to get free of his father and Bobby and race after Dean, the angel parade was over.  And the angel was holding his brother.  Dean dangled from the angel’s arm around his waist like a little dog from the arm of a starlet, back before the war when the world had gone to shit.  Dean’s hands were still bound behind his back.  The chain was still locked around his neck.  The angel ignored him, chatting proudly with the other angels, letting them pet Dean, showing him off like he was some sort of trophy instead of the older brother Sam adored.  Dean’s eyes had been completely empty, staring blankly into space.  He’d looked so hopeless, so trapped, so lost.  He’d never seen Sam then, and Sam hadn’t had the heart to call out to him again.  He’d simply watched, his eyes locked on his brother until the angel had finally flown off, taking Dean with him up into the sky.  Dean, who had always been so terrified of flying!  But there was nothing, nothing that either of them could do.

            But now the angel was here.  And he was begging Sam to help him?!

            Sam swallowed hard, moving forward with his fists clenched.  “I watched you, saw you fly away with my brother.  Stan and Charlie told me what you did to him, you monster!  You took him, made him into a pet!”

            “Where do you think he is right now?!” the angel exclaimed.  He was still struggling, trying to get Gabriel to let him down.  “I came here so I could help him!”

            “You came here because you lost!”  It was Charlie who had spoken.  Sam had never heard her so angry before.  Her voice was dripping with menace.  “You came here because you want to go back to being pet owners, to keeping us on chains and burning your names into our souls!”

            The angel shook his head.  “No, you don’t understand!  I just want to help Dean!”

            “All you want right now is to get that band off of your neck,” Sam growled.  “It’s not going to happen, Castiel!”  That was satisfying.  Gabriel, Sam knew, would never let Castiel go.  The archangel had been furious when he’d lost the angel.  Now that he had him back, Gabriel would take great pains to ensure he wouldn’t lose his treasure again.  The knowledge that he might never see his brother again made Sam sick, but at least, in some small way, this was justice.

            “Don’t you want to save your brother?” the angel urged.  “That can only happen if Gabriel joins up with Raphael, and they both fight together against Michael!”

            “Actually, that isn’t true,” Gabriel called.  “See, Cassie, that was your plan, the one Raphie told me about.  He and I came to a little agreement, though.  After a long talk, we decided we were going with a different approach.”

            That quieted the angel.  He stopped struggling, looked around.  “Are you going to help Dean?”

            Gabriel gave one of his overly-dramatic sighs.  “Of course we are!  Good grief, Cassie, we were going to help Dean the first time you came down here, but you two had to go and mess everything up!”

            “Why wouldn’t Dean meet with us?” Sam wanted to know.  “Did you stop him?  You did, didn’t you?!  You wouldn’t let Dean meet with me because you knew he’d never stop trying to get away from you if he did!  You just wanted to keep him forever!”

            “Meet with...”  The angel groaned and covered his face with his hands.  “That’s why you kept trying to get Dean to go with your guardians, Gabriel!  Because they were supposed to take him to meet with his brother!”

            “Bingo!  Such a smart little angel!”  Gabriel rubbed the angel’s head, further mussing his hair.  “Sammy here came seeking me out shortly after you marched his brother through the town right in front of him.  Shit thing to do, Cassie.”

            “I’m sorry!”

            “Go to hell!” Sam spat.

            “Anyway,” Gabriel continued, “he’s been here ever since. And we picked up Charlie and Stanley when you all so thoughtlessly abandoned them, alone and terrified, in the middle of a field of broken treasures!  Poor Charlie was in terrible shape, but she’s bounced back.  And she’s been a wonder, so helpful to the others who have come here.  There are so many now, Cassie, who have had their loved ones torn away, stolen by angels and claimed as treasures.  I’d thought to have Dean talk to her.  Charlie could have explained what we’re really doing here, reunited him with his brother, and we all could have hunkered safely down until the fall-out from Heaven was over.  Because if you thought that the end of the war was tough in Heaven, Cassie?  You should have been here, seeing human treasure after human treasure with slashed throats, tossed on a makeshift funeral pyre to ensure no other angel could claim them after their owner was killed!  You should have heard the screams, seen the pain in the faces of those people as they gathered around those innocent humans. You know one of those treasures was a thirteen-year-old kid?  The stupid angel had only taken him the day before, and now his family had to bury what was left of him!  His mother didn’t even get to see his face one last time!”

            “I’m sorry, Gabriel, but I didn’t know that!” the angel exclaimed.  He was struggling again to try to get down.  “And Sammy, I didn’t force Dean into anything.  He didn’t go with the guardians because he didn’t trust them. The only thing he was interested in was getting me away from Gabriel.”

            “Which was another huge mistake, by the way,” Gabriel called.  “You as my treasure was part of the plan, Cassie!  We could have ended all of this bullshit forever if you’d have just let me keep you.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “What I mean is that I intended to make one hell of an example out of you, little treasure!  An angel, a garrison captain, no less, reduced to human form and taken as a victory treasure?  I’ll bet you had one hell of a tough time of it when you got back to Heaven, didn’t you? That was only the beginning!  I needed you, Cassie, to really get your fellow angels to see the error of their ways!  If you had only stayed, I would have paraded you up and down the width and breadth of the land, made damned sure every angel thought twice about taking another human treasure.”

            “It wouldn’t have worked,” the angel sighed. “They were horrified that you’d taken me, but it wasn’t working quite like you’d planned.  Some of the angels would have gotten the message, but the rest would have just mocked me for being foolish enough to be taken.  Unless you’d planned to claim every angel who’d taken a human treasure, it never would have worked.”

            “Works for me!” Sam called.

            “Me too!” Charlie added.

            “M-me, too,” Stanley agreed.

            Sam smiled at him, and received a small, scared smile in return.  “Stanley here’s coming along, Castiel, but he told me how archangels treat their treasures. When he learned Raphael was back, he found a nice sharp knife and very nearly slit his own throat before we could convince him Gabe would never let him be claimed again!  That is how bad being an angel’s treasure is, Castiel.  So right now, I don’t care about Heaven’s war or treasures or prestige or whatever else you monsters fight over.  The only thing I really care about is getting my brother back!”

          “So do I!” the angel exclaimed.  He looked up at Gabriel.  “So what’s your plan?  What are you planning to do now?”

            “It’s not my plan.”  Gabriel jerked a thumb towards Sam.  “It’s his.  Has been all along, up to and including claiming whatever angel got sent to seek me out!  Just luck it happened to be you, although I’m damned happy it was.”  Gabriel sighed and hugged Castiel.  “Oh, my little treasure, you coming down here with him?  That was the absolute best-case scenario we could have asked for!  And if only he’d listened, just done as he was told...?!”

            “Dean hasn’t ever done as he was told in his life,” Sam sighed.  “Not much chance of him starting now.”  He came over and stood close, looking thoughtfully at the angel.  “We can still use him.  But now, with Michael claiming Dean?  Getting my brother back is going to be so much harder than ever before!”

            Gabriel gave an exaggerated bow.  “Lead us, oh brave chief!”

***

            “Take it off me!”

            Michael paused in his speech at the captains’ table, glancing over at Dean.  Dean jerked hard on his chain again and shook it, making it rattle loudly.  “Take this fucking thing off of me!  I can’t stand it anymore!”

            Michael said something in Angelspeak.  Dean made out the word “treasure” and the word he’d come to learn meant “naughty” or “misbehaving.”  Then he got up and moved to Dean.  Good. Come and get me, asshole.

            The archangel loomed over him, bending to speak quietly to Dean.  “Treasure? You are disrupting my meeting.”

            Why hadn’t Dean thought of this before?  Day after day, Michael had chained him here in the corner and ignored him.  Today Dean simply couldn’t stand it anymore.  He couldn’t go one more minute with the collar around his neck, with the heavy chain dragging every time he moved, confining him to one small corner of the room with no one to talk to.  He had to do something.  Now Michael was probably going to beat him, but even that had to be better than the constant isolation.  Michael hadn’t even bothered to learn Dean’s name, referring to him only as “treasure.” “What is it you want, treasure?” Michael asked now, his voice quiet.

            “I told you what I want!” Dean snarled.  He tugged on his collar.  “Take this off of me!”

            “I’m happy to,” Michael told him.  “As soon as you ask me to hold you.”

            “Fuck you!” Dean roared.

            Michael gave a dramatic sigh.  “Alright, then.  But I cannot have you disrupting my meeting, so...”

            Deft hands quickly undid the collar around Dean’s neck, gathered him up.  Dean gave a little yelp of surprise as he found himself lifted, carried back into the nest.  But then he looked ahead, realized where they were headed, and fought with all his strength. “No!” he howled.  “No, please don’t lock me back in that cage!”

            “Sorry, treasure, but you’re being very naughty. You’ve left me no other choice.”

            Michael opened the door of the cage and pushed Dean inside.  Dean struggled wildly.  “No!  Please!  Let me out!  I’ll be quiet, just please don’t lock me back in here all alone!  Please!”

            That, Dean realized with dismay, was the worst of it. Even worse than being confined behind the bars of the cage, the complete isolation ate at his soul like nothing else. And Michael knew it.  Of course he knew it.  Already, the sadistic bastard was smiling as he forced Dean into the cage and closed the door.  Then he stood back, watching as Dean screamed and threw himself at the bars.  “Let me out!” Dean pleaded.  “Please let me out!  Please, I’ll be quiet, just let me out!”

            “If you want out, treasure, you know the way.”

            Dean went quiet, panting as he leaned against the bars of the cage.  He looked up, meeting the cold eyes of the smiling archangel as Michael waited expectantly.  Dean moaned. He’d promised Cas he wouldn’t break. He wanted to be strong, to not let Michael defeat him.  Cas had been gone for days, but that didn’t mean his angel wouldn’t come back!  Cas was out there somewhere, working out some clever plan.  All Dean had to do was stay strong and wait for him.

            But he couldn’t do it.  He couldn’t stand this, the isolation, the constant neglect. He’d already tried to goad Michael into beating him just to break the terrible loneliness.  It wasn’t like he’d be agreeing to stay with Michael forever, would it, if Dean gave just a little?  He swallowed hard.  “Please take me out of this cage?”

            “Why should I?”  Michael was leaning down, looking eagerly at Dean through the bars. “What do you want, treasure?”

            “I want...  I want...”  He closed his eyes.  “I want you to hold me.”

            “My poor little treasure,” Michael soothed, his voice full of mocking laughter.  “You’re so lonely, aren’t you?  Would you like me to let you out of there and hold you on my lap for a little while, at least until we’re finished with this meeting?”

            Oh, you bastard.  You son of a bitch.  You won’t break me.  Cas, I’ll hang on, I swear it, but I can’t, angel, I can’t be locked in this cage!  Cas will forgive me.  He’ll understand, and he’ll come for me.  He’ll come and get me out.  Please, please get me out, soon, because for now?  For now, I’m sorry.  But I can’t take this anymore.

            Dean took a deep breath and said yes to Michael.


	30. Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam, his friends, and the archangels discuss their plans. Sam comes to a realization about Castiel that changes everything.

            The noise of the rowdy guardians was bad enough. The desperate cries of the angel were worse.  Sam was working on his Enochian, but he had a long way to go before he could understand more than a few words.  He could recognize “stop,” “no,” “please” and “hurt,” words he was hearing frequently from the middle of the throng of guardians.  The rest he couldn’t translate.  But the fear, pain, and despair in the angel’s voice spoke more than words.

            Gabriel, naturally, ignored it completely. “Mikey’s bold, arrogant,” he was saying. “Right now, he believes he can’t be defeated.  That’s his weakness.”

            “I agree,” Raphael mused.  “A big enough blow to his ego will have him storming out of Heaven to confront it!”

            There was another cry of pain from the crowd, and Sam flinched.  He glanced at his companions.  Charlie was white-faced, pointedly looking away from the group.  But Stanley was frequently glancing back.  Sam met the other human’s eyes, saw him shake his head, and cleared his throat.  “Gabe? I think Castiel’s had enough, alright? Would you please stop that, get him back?  He should be part of this discussion anyway.”

            The archangels looked at him in surprise. “What say does he have in anything?” Raphael wanted to know.  “He’ll play his role if he consents or not!”

            “That’s why you’ll never get it!” Stanley yelled, surprising everyone.  “Because you don’t understand!  You have no idea what it’s like to just be handled and hurt like you’re an object instead of a person!  I wish Gabriel would shrink you and send you into that crowd, just so you finally get a hint!”

            “Hey, calm down, Stan,” Gabe soothed.  He got up, whistled loudly.  “Ok, sorry folks, I know a lot of you came a long way to play with my treasure, but I need him back now.  Thank you, everyone, for everything you do.  Hand him over now, please!”

            Grumbling, sour looks, and a few loud yells of protest. But the crowd parted slightly, handing the battered angel from hand to hand towards the front until Gabriel could once again collect him.

            Castiel didn’t seem to realize what was happening. He was wild-eyed, thrashing and struggling as Gabe accepted him, then crying out in pain as Gabe sat back down and pulled him into his lap.  “Hey, calm down!” Gabe called.  “It’s all over for today.”

            The disappointed guardians filed out of the hall. Meanwhile, the angel continued to struggle, straining to push Gabriel’s arm away.  “Let go!” he gasped.  “Please stop hurting me!”

            “His ribs are broken,” Charlie realized.

            “Heal him!” Stanley urged.  “I know you can!”

            Sam hadn’t known that, but Gabe quickly touched his fingers to the battered angel’s forehead.  Immediately, the marks on Castiel’s skin disappeared and he stopped writhing in pain.  His hands held tight to Gabe’s arm, panting and shuddering.

            Raphael rolled his eyes disdainfully.  “As we were saying, it shouldn’t be hard to get under Michael’s skin.  Two archangels calling him out?  He will absolutely respond to that!”

            “The problem is going to be Dean,” Sam reminded, glancing at Castiel.  “How do we make sure he brings Dean?”

            “Why wouldn’t he?” Raphael asked.  “Dean is a treasure I wanted for myself!  I’ve no doubt he was the best treasure on the field! What could he possibly have that would be more valuable?”

            “Michael sees things a bit differently than most,” Gabe warned.  “But if our plan works, he’ll likely bring Dean.  That’s just a chance we’ll have to take.  There is one another issue.”  He indicated Castiel.  “This one came down here, gave up everything, and let himself be claimed for that human. I have never seen such devotion for a human before!”

            “Castiel always was a bit strange,” Raphael grumbled.

            “I won’t deny that, but there’s another side to this.  The reason Dean wouldn’t go along with my plans and never went out to meet Sam, Charlie, and Stanley like I wanted is because he was worried about Castiel.  In fact, the impression I get is that Dean’s actually the one behind the two of them running off!  So either Castiel somehow tricked Dean into helping him and then immediately claimed him again, or Dean did the same thing that Castiel did. Dean let himself be taken again!”

            “No way!” Sam exclaimed.  “My brother’s a fighter!”

            “He cared about Castiel,” Stanley said quietly. “We’d talk, while...”  He glanced at Raphael.  “While he held us.  He hurt us, always held us too tight, and Dean hated the way I was treated.  But Dean put up with it, because he knew that he was the reason his angel got his promotion.”

            “Stockholm Syndrome,” Charlie announced.

            “Maybe,” Gabriel mused.  “That’s what I thought at first, too, but now...?”  He looked down at the silent, subdued little angel in his arms.  Then he glanced at Raphael.  “Whose idea was it to have you bring him to me, so I’d talk to you?”

            “His,” Raphael replied.  “He suggested he shrink himself down and let me take his Grace, because he knew you wanted him as your treasure.”  He scoffed.  “I knew then he was a fool, but his plan worked all the same.”

            “Wait,” Sam called, looking at Gabe.  “I assumed you guys had captured him!  Are you telling me that Castiel intentionally gave himself up, that he let you take him?!”

            “Yes,” Gabe confirmed.  “Can’t for the life of me understand why.  Humans, you get affectionate.  I’ve seen you get sentimental over dogs or rodents you’ve had that died, sometimes even having funerals like they were one of your own kind! So I suppose I can understand Dean getting attached to his angel.  But this guy?”  He shifted Castiel in his lap.  “I do not get him.”

            “Of course you don’t!” Castiel snapped. “Angels are not capable of understanding! That’s how we’re able to take humans as pets in the first place, because we don’t really see them.  We see they are beautiful and unique, and we crave their affection because they’re so much like angels.  But we don’t really see them.  We don’t understand that they’re capable of giving and receiving affection just as we are!  That’s the problem.  Angels don’t give affection, we only take!”

            “He’s right,” Charlie called.  “Anna beat me until I completely gave up, demanded I give her affection whenever she wished, and then just left me alone in the nest when she didn’t want me.”

            “So did he,” Stanley agreed, glaring at Raphael. “But Castiel?  He was different with Dean.”

            “I,” Raphael declared, “do not understand this human foolishness.  Gabriel, we should focus on the plan!”

            “No, I think there’s something here we’re missing,” Gabe mused.  He was looking hard at Castiel, who looked back at him.  “It’s something I thought of a few times when Castiel would say that he was doing this for Dean, going through this so that Dean wouldn’t have to. Castiel...”  Gabriel’s eyes grew wide.  “You actually feel something for Dean, don’t you?  You feel for him the way humans feel for each other!”

            Raphael laughed.  “What mortal nonsense is this?!  You’ve spent too much time on Earth, Gabriel!  Next, you’ll be saying an angel can breed!”

            In his time with Gabe and his guardians, Sam had been convinced he’d seen everything there was to see concerning angels. Today, he’d learned an angel could heal, something he’d never considered.  But now he learned something brand new – an angel could blush. Castiel’s cheeks flushed, his eyes lowered, and he squirmed uncomfortably.

            Gabriel saw it too.  His jaw dropped in surprise.  “Oh.  My. Dad!”

            Raphael threw up his hands in disgust.  “Well, that settles it!  Castiel, it’s good that you’ve given up your Grace, because you’re no angel!  Dad made a mistake with you, you obviously should have been born a human!”

            “Castiel?!”  Sam got up, moved closer to the angel still blushing furiously on Gabriel’s lap. “Are you...  Are you in love with my brother?”

            “I don’t know!” Castiel exclaimed, squirming again.  “I don’t know anything about breeding, but I did like it when he kissed me...”

            “Oh my Dad!”  This time it was Raphael, looking like he was about to throw up.

            “But it was just too much, and I asked him to stop,” Castiel mumbled.  “I liked it, though.  I wanted more, but Dean said I wasn’t ready for it.  He said he shouldn’t have done it, but we knew I had to put him up for Michael and he wanted to kiss me.  And then Michael took him, and it felt like tearing out my Grace, or worse!  Because Dean is suffering, and I’d do anything, anything at all, to save him!”

            “...Anything?” Sam ventured.

            Gabriel chuckled.  “Ooo, look at that, Raphie!  Sammy’s got himself a plan!”

            Sam nodded, his eyes still fixed on Castiel. “I need to know if you mean that, Castiel.  If you can swear to God...  Where is God, anyway?”

            “On vacation,” Gabriel sighed.  “He got fed up with us fighting and told us to clean up our own mess.”

            “Fine, but He still matters to you guys, right? Ok, Castiel, so if you swear to God that you’ll cooperate, is that a vow you can break?”

            “No,” all three angels said at once.

            “Fine.  Then swear to God you’ll work with us to help us get Dean back.”

            “I do,” Castiel said without hesitation.  “I swear to God.  Whatever you need to save Dean, I’ll do it!”

            Gabe stared incredulously at the little angel on his lap.  “You really do love him, don’t you?”

            Castiel seemed to slump.  “I...  Yes. Yes, I do.”

            Gabriel looked down at him like he’d never seen anything quite like Castiel before.  Raphael looked at him in horror.

            “I know how we can guarantee that Michael will come to us, and he’ll bring Dean,” Sam announced.  “We’ll have Raphael speak with his angels, invite him to parlay with Gabriel.  And he’ll come, because we’ll have Gabriel use Castiel to get his attention.”

            “How?” Gabriel asked.

            Sam locked eyes with Castiel.  “Because Castiel will help us.  Because he’ll be exactly what every angel really wants in a treasure.”

            Understanding dawned on the face of the three angels. Castiel nodded.  “Alright.  I’ll do it, whatever it takes.”

            “And I will bear the message,” Raphael declared. He reached for Stanley.  “I can approach...”

            “No!”  Stanley tried to dodge Raphael’s hand, was caught, and went wild, kicking and struggling for all he was worth!  “No, stop! Sam, you promised he wouldn’t take me again, help me!”

            “Raphael!”  Sam clung to the archangel’s arm, trying to pry it off of Stanley.  “Let go of him!  Gabe!”

            “Raph, let the kid go, would you?!” Gabe called, exasperated.  “Holy shit, have you not been paying any attention at all?!  They are not animals!”

            “I am aware of that!”  Raphael had pulled Stanley into his lap and had produced a claiming band. “Stop struggling, treasure, I won’t hurt you.  I’ll band you and put you down, let you go until it’s time to deliver the message.”

            “No, you’re not putting that on me again!” Stanley shrieked.  He’d thrown his arms over his head, fighting to keep Raphael from slipping his band around his neck.  “Leave me alone!  I can’t be your treasure anymore, I can’t!”

            Now Charlie had broken from her terrified stupor and was clinging to Raphael’s arm as well.  “Let go of him, you piece of shit!”

            Gabriel sighed, pulled Stanley from the hands of an irritated Raphael, and put him back down.  The boy collapsed, sobbing as he frantically crawled away.  Sam and Charlie immediately moved to him, soothing and trying to comfort him.

            “This is what I mean by human foolishness,” Raphael announced.  “How can this plan possibly work if I cannot even face Michael’s angels?!  I can’t approach them without a treasure equal to or greater than what I had before, or I’ll be lessened even further!”

            “He’s right you know,” Gabriel sighed. “Stanley, listen, I know you’re scared, but it’s only temporary!  Just let him band you long enough to...”

            “No!” Stanley screamed.  “No, no, no!  I can’t, I’m sorry, but I can’t let him put another band around my neck!  I can’t let him carry me!  And he’ll tie me up, he’ll have to!  Sam, Charlie, please, I can’t do this!  Please don’t let him have me!”

            “He can’t do this, Sam!” Charlie exclaimed. Tears were standing in her eyes. “And before anyone asks, no, I can’t, either!”

            “I’ll do it,” Sam said quietly.

            Silence as everyone gawked at him.  “You?”  Raphael’s eyes moved appraisingly over Sam, making him feel like a piece of meat. “You’re pretty enough, but you’re not a claimed treasure!”

            “What they don’t know won’t hurt ‘em,” Castiel called quietly.  “If Sammy’s really willing to do this, to let you band and Grace mark him?  How will any angel know the difference?”

            The first part of Castiel’s statement sounded so much like Dean that it made Sam smile, made him wonder what trick his idiot brother had pulled over on the angels in Heaven.  But then the rest of it hit home.  He’d been intellectually aware that, for the ruse to work, Raphael would have to put a claiming band on him.  But the idea of Grace marking, letting this untrustworthy archangel actually brand his name into Sam’s soul?  He shuddered and turned to the other two humans.  “How bad is it?” he asked in a low voice.  “Having your soul marked?”

            Two pairs of solemn eyes looked back at him. Charlie was still cradling Stanley, who was shuddering as he clung to her.  “Being Grace marked?” she replied quietly.  “It’s worse than you can imagine!”

            “Don’t fight it!” Castiel called.  “If you’re really brave enough to do this, when he goes to mark your soul, let him in.  Don’t fight!  It’s easier.”

            “I wonder how you know that, Castiel?!” Sam spat.

            But the angel’s blue eyes never flinched. “Because I had to mark Dean, claim him fully as my own, in order to keep any other angel from taking him.  If I had been able to permanently mark his soul, Michael couldn’t have taken him!  I failed him. I won’t fail him again, and I won’t fail you.  Trust me, Sammy.  Let it happen, and it won’t be as bad.”

            Later, Sammy supposed the angel was right.  Having the archangel’s Grace sear its mark into his soul was horrible, but it was hardly worse than he could imagine.


	31. Parlay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam and the archangels find a way to lure Michael in for a talk

            Sam had spent many nights recently lying awake, wondering what was happening to his brother.  He’d spoken to other human treasures.  They’d all told similarly horrible stories of their lives with the angels who had claimed them, the nests, the claiming bands, the constant physical restraint any time they were out of the nest.  He’d had more than one nightmare about being taken himself and subjected to that awful life.

            Now he was experiencing it.

            He found himself constantly twisting his neck, subconsciously trying to get the claiming band off.  He couldn’t stop testing the ropes around his wrists. He’d never realized before how helpless he could become without the use of his hands.  Having them tied behind his back was awful.  Still, it could have been worse.  Raphael had wanted to chain him, either a collar around his neck or shackles at his wrists, insisting that a human treasure should be “secure.”  Sam had managed to argue his way down to having his hands tied, a rope trailing from them for Raphael to hold.  Now he frowned, feeling Raphael once again lifting up on the rope, tugging on his wrists.  “Stop pulling on me!” he hissed at the archangel.

            “Be silent,” Raphael whispered back.  “Our enemies approach.”

            Sam looked up and saw them, Michael’s angels winging their way towards the open field where Raphael was waiting with Sam. To his irritation, Raphael tugged on his rope again, jerking Sam backwards by his wrists and making him fall against the archangel.  Then Raphael was bending down, wrapping an arm around Sam’s waist and lifting him up, holding him as the irritated angels approached.

            The angels moved closer, stopping a short distance away from Raphael and Sam.  Their eyes moved over Sam.  Remembering what Castiel had suggested, Sam twisted in Raphael’s arm, rubbing his head in an affectionate manner against the archangel’s chest.  Raphael made a small sound, almost like a purr, and gathered him up, turning Sam and holding him with both arms.  Sam immediately drew up his legs and pressed himself against Raphael, tucking his head under the archangel’s chin.

            It worked.  The two angels looked uncertain and took a step back.  Sam felt a shadow and realized that the archangel had arched his wings proudly, reaching up one hand to stroke Sam’s hair.  “I have a message for your archangel,” he announced.

            “Archangel Michael has nothing to say to you, outcast!” The angel’s words were brash, but her voice was uncertain.

            “Fine!” Raphael spat.  “It’s not I that wishes to speak with him.  I am here only as a herald.”

            Once again, the angels exchanged a look.  “For whom?”

            Raphael looked pointedly towards a nearby hill.

            Gabriel stood on the hill in full battle armor, his wings up in an aggressive show.  In one hand, he had his archangel blade, which he held up high.  His other hand rested on Castiel’s shoulder.

            The angels had explained to Sam that the real reason they claimed human treasures was because humans were so close to little angels.  It was why he’d suggested that Gabriel claim a real angel.  For that to happen, it had been necessary to reduce Castiel to human form. He’d thought that might be enough in and of itself to convince the angels to stop taking human treasures. But it hadn’t been enough. Castiel had been a captain, but in Gabriel’s hands, he’d been rendered human.  Powerless and helpless, the captain was little more than a prisoner of war.

            This, though, was a very different story.

            Gabriel’s claiming band was clearly visible around Castiel’s neck.  He was still human sized.  But his Grace blazed in his eyes.  His ebony wings were raised in an identical manner to Gabriel’s.  He was every bit the powerful angel he’d ever been, and yet he was also just as clearly a victory treasure, claimed by the archangel that controlled him without the aid of rope, chain, or magical barrier.  Castiel stepped closer, put his arms around Gabriel, and hugged him, wrapping his wings around the giant archangel even as Gabriel’s hand moved to affectionately pet him. 

            There could be no greater demonstration of Castiel’s value.  He was, without a doubt, the greatest victory treasure any angel could ever claim.

            “Tell your archangel that Archangel Gabriel wishes to speak!” Raphael roared at the two stunned angels.  “He would have parlay, at a time and place of his own choosing.  Go, and return to me with your answer!”

            The two angels actually bowed slightly, almost in spite of themselves.  Then they raced away, winging frantically back into the sky.

            Naturally, Gabriel was extremely pleased with himself. “That’s got ‘em!” he whooped.  “I think they nearly pissed their tunics when you hugged me, Cassie!  Perfect! Just perfect!  Raphie, did you see their faces?!  Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a picture of that!”

            Sam had to chuckle.  But as he tried to twist around and get down, Raphael’s arms tightened around him.  He stiffened. “Um, Raphael?” he called, trying to sound confident.  “Good job! That really worked out great!  We did it, now it’s time to let me go.”

            Raphael put him down and untied Sam’s hands.  But then Sam was suddenly lifted off of his feet once more, cradled against the archangel’s chest.  He froze, clinging to the arm around him.  “Raphael?  What are you doing?!  Put me down!”

            The archangel’s fingers traced the claiming band around Sam’s neck.  “Perhaps we should keep this a bit longer?  After all, we’ll just have to put it on again when Michael comes!”

            Sam swallowed hard.  “A-alright, I guess that’s ok.  Just put me down.”

            The arm tightened around him.  “It’s a long walk, my treasure.  Wouldn’t it be easier if I carried you?”

            Once again, Sam was reminded of just how big angels really were.  The arm around his waist was bigger than his thigh.  He had no chance, none whatsoever, of freeing himself if Raphael decided to keep him.  And the archangel’s claiming band was already locked in place around Sam’s neck.

            Sam took a deep breath, forcing down the rising panic.  Stay calm, Sam.  Talk to Raphael, make him understand you’re not actually his treasure.  He can’t keep you, so don’t panic.  Good advice.  Sam licked his lips, his mind racing as he carefully chose his words.  “Ok, two things,” he said aloud.  “One, I’m not your treasure.  I’m your ally, and we need to remember that and respect each other if we want this to work.  Two, right along those same lines, I told you to put me down.  I am not an animal, and you need to respect that!  In the future, when I, or any other human tells you to put them down, put them down!  Don’t argue, just do it!”

            Raphael made no move to let him go.  Sam held his breath.  If the archangel refused, or worse, abandoned the plan completely and simply took him and left, there was nothing realistically that Sam could do to stop him.  But to his immense relief, Raphael sighed.  “As you wish.”

            Sam breathed a sigh of relief when he was back on the ground again.  That had been scary.  While he was willing to bend a little in the name of diplomacy and let the band stay on for now, he certainly wasn’t willing to be handled involuntarily!

            But then he looked up at the archangel, saw Raphael looking longingly towards where Gabriel had scooped Castiel up again and was about to fly back.  The naked loneliness in the archangel’s face cut into him.  Sam sighed.  “Raphael? If you want to carry me, you need to ask, alright?  Don’t just try to take me.”

            Sudden hope in the archangel’s dark eyes.  “May I carry you, tre- May I carry you, Sam?”

            Sam smiled.  “You’re learning!  And yes, Raphael, you may.”

            The archangel’s hands were gentle as they reached for Sam.  Yeah, it was a bit degrading to be carried like this, but it was a bit of a hike on foot anyway.  Besides, the delighted smile on the archangel’s face made it worthwhile.

***

            Michael was here.  He was on Earth, ready to speak with Gabriel.  And he’d brought Dean.  The sight of his brother made Sam want to scream and cry and punch Michael all at the same time.  Dean’s eyes were every bit as empty as Charlie’s had been when she’d first arrived. He didn’t seem to recognize Sam, didn’t even look up.  He simply hung quietly from Michael’s arm.  For Sam, it was just like seeing his brother in Castiel’s arms back at the parade, complete with the chain at Dean’s throat and his hands bound behind his back.  But somehow, this was worse.  Dean wasn’t bruised.  He didn’t appear to be in any pain and seemed well fed and cared for. Yet he seemed somehow hollow all the same.  The sass, that go-to-hell look that had driven their father insane was missing from his eyes.  This was clearly Dean, right down to the freckles on his nose.  And yet, his brother was gone.  Sam wanted to scream.  Behind his back, his hands clenched themselves into fists.  He desperately wanted to free himself from the ropes, get free of Raphael, run to Dean, and somehow get through to his brother.  But he couldn’t.  He could only stand as he was, on the end of a rope at Raphael’s side, and watch.

            Gabriel and Raphael had risen to greet their guest. “Mikey, welcome!” Gabriel called. “Come in, have a seat, take a load off! You want a drink?”

            “You know what I want,” Michael spat.  His eyes were locked on Castiel, who glared defiantly back at him from his place at Gabriel’s side.  Once again, no rope, chain, or other visible method of control held him.  Gabriel didn’t touch him at all.  Castiel simply stood at the archangel’s side, his fingers twisted into Gabriel’s tunic. Michael shook his head in disbelief. “How did you do it?  How did you convince a captain as powerful as Castiel to lower himself to this?!”

            Gabriel tapped a finger on the side of his nose. “That, my dear brother, is for me to know and you to bust your ass to try to find out.”  He indicated the stone table.  “Sit down, big bro!  It’s been ages since we had a real family discussion.”

            Michael frowned.  His eyes flickered around, taking in the scant number of guardians who were all but ignoring the meeting and glancing back at the throng of armored fighters he’d brought with him.  Sam could practically hear the gears turning in his head, estimating his odds as his eyes moved back to Gabe and Raph.  They moved briefly over Sam before locking once more on Castiel.  Then he sniffed loudly, gathered Dean up and sat down with Sam’s brother on his lap.

            The slight jarring made Dean stir.  He blinked as though roused from a dream, glanced over, and froze as his eyes fell on Sam.  Sam was being lifted, held on Raphael’s lap as the archangel took his seat at the table.  He saw Dean stiffen, saw his eyes grow wide, and shook his head, mouthing “be quiet!” at him.  Dean stared hard at Sam, glanced over and stared just as hard at Castiel on Gabe’s lap. Then he gave a quick nod and grew still.

            “Shall we get right down to business?” Gabe called, absently petting Castiel.  “I’ve got something here that you want.  What are you willing to give me for it?”

            “First, I would know what it is you have,” Michael called cautiously.  He reached a hand towards Castiel.  “Let me see him.”

            “See with your eyes, not your hands, bro!” Gabe said, pulling the little angel further onto his lap and running a finger over Castiel’s claiming band.  “Behold, Captain Castiel!  My claiming band around his neck.  Full Grace, no reduction in power.  No chains or ties or wards.  No tricks. He’s mine, completely mine, and I can do with him as I wish because Castiel will not fight me.  He’s even armed, see?  His Angel blade is reduced in size, just like he is, but it’s still an Angel blade, just as powerful as it ever was!  He is the perfect treasure.  A fully-powered angel, miniaturized and completely under my control!”  He smiled, wrapping both arms tightly around Castiel and resting one cheek against the little angel’s head, smiling triumphantly at Michael. “You wanted to conquer, Mikey? You wanted to rule?  This is what it is to really rule!  Castiel’s mine, mind, body, and soul!”  He sat up, his smile growing wider.  “So how have you been doing?  Everyone falling right in line, falling over each other to adore you? No?  That’s ok, you were always about defeating people anyway, right?”

            “I’ve never defeated any angel like this,” Michael admitted.  He couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from Castiel, his face set in a deep, puzzled frown. “Castiel, what is the meaning of this? What power does my brother hold over you?”

            “None,” Castiel challenged.  He leaned against Gabriel, his hands over the massive arms that held him.  “While I could never hope to defeat an archangel, I’m perfectly capable of fighting. If I didn’t want him to have me, I could struggle free.  But I don’t want to.  I let him take me, let him claim me, because I want him to.  Gabriel offered me something I want, something I value more than I value my dignity and personal freedom.  That’s why I’m with him.  Stop looking at me with such want, Michael!  You can’t have me!”

            Paydirt.  Gabriel had warned them that, above all, Michael craved a challenge.  Castiel had just made himself irresistible, and the sudden flare of greed in Michael’s eyes confirmed it for Sam.  “What do you want for him?”

            “What do I want, hmm, let me think.”  Gabriel made a show of thinking, scrunching up his face and rubbing at his chin.  “Nah, I’ve changed my mind.  Castiel’s not for sale.”  He stood up, oblivious to the sputtering of the other archangel, and flipped Michael a salute.  “Raph and I are going to take our treasures and go home now.  Sorry you came all this way, Mikey, have a good day!”

            “No!” Michael roared, leaping to his feet.  “No, I came for Castiel, and I will have him!  Name your price!”

            “Told you, he’s not for sale.  Have a safe trip back!”

            Michael controlled himself with an effort.  “Gabriel?” he managed between clenched teeth.  “Why did you invite me down here with the promise of your treasure?  You wanted to talk, yes?  So let’s talk!”

            Gabriel and Raphael exchanged a look.  Then both archangels sat back down at the table.  “Alright, brother,” Gabriel said, adjusting Castiel in his lap once more.  “Let’s talk.”


	32. Exchange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The negotiations begin

            Dean’s life had largely become a blur.  After he’d asked Michael to hold him, just the feeling of being touched after being isolated for so long was wonderful. After the meeting, when Michael had chained him back in his corner, Dean had nearly wept.  Being unchained to be fed was a welcome relief.  He was even learning to better tolerate having his soul marked.  But that night, when Michael went to lock him once more in his cage, had been the worst of all.  Dean was struggling and clinging to the outside of the cage when Michael spoke. “Would you like to sleep with me tonight, treasure?”

            For a moment, Dean nearly said yes.  But the image of blue eyes and tousled dark hair filled his thoughts.  “No.”

            Michael’s face darkened in anger.  He forced Dean into the cage.  Then the archangel had simply waved a hand and banished Dean, cage and all, into a long hallway filled with shelves of treasures just like the one Cas had shown him.

            How Dean had screamed.  How he’d shook the bars of his cage.  He’d been sure then that Michael would leave him here forever, that he’d spend the rest of eternity screaming in this still, silent limbo. But once again, Michael had come to him, asking Dean if he’d like to be held today?  And once again, Dean said yes.  He’d tried to be good.  He’d leaned against Michael when the archangel absently stroked him, remained still and quiet otherwise.  But after the meeting, Michael had once more locked the collar around Dean’s neck, leaving him chained in the corner except to provide care.  Then that night Dean was once again asked if he wanted to sleep with Michael?  He’d refused, and had been forced back into the cage in the hidden treasure room.

            Dean broke.  He spent the night lying quietly in his cage, not thinking of anything at all. For a brief moment, the memory of a red-haired girl with wide, unseeing eyes had flittered through his mind.  But then it was gone, lost in the endless, empty blur that his life had become.  He didn’t fight.  He didn’t beg to be held.  He didn’t react, even when Michael had frowned and left him all day in his cage in the treasure room.  Dean was barely aware of it when Michael returned hours later to collect him to feed. He didn’t register Michael’s frown when, after having his soul marked, Dean had once again simply gone still. He wasn’t even fully aware of it that night when Michael finally carried him into the nest, lying down with Dean in his arms.  Nothing mattered.  He couldn’t feel anything anymore.  He simply was.

            Then Michael got some news that seriously pissed him off.  The archangel had yelled, waving his arms threateningly at his subordinates.  He’d stomped over to where Dean was chained in his corner, quickly unchained him, and held him uncomfortably tight, petting Dean to calm himself.  He’d yelled a bit more at his peons, apparently ordered them out, and then carried Dean back to his table, where he scowled at nothing and kept petting Dean.

            “I won’t lose to a defeated fool and a halfwit trickster!” Michael growled.  “But how? How?!  I don’t understand it, treasure, but I’ll have him.  I will have that angel if I have to wipe out every guardian alive to make Gabriel to give him up!”

            It didn’t make any sense to Dean, but Dean was barely listening.  He sat limply in Michael’s arms, letting the archangel pet him and continue to brood, waiting to be chained back up or locked back in his cage.

            But Michael hadn’t let Dean go.  He carried Dean constantly and was in a constant state of agitation, frequently losing his temper with servants or subordinates and raising his voice.  Once he even struck a serving angel.  Dean had panicked at that, expecting he’d be beaten as well.  But Michael made no move to hurt him.  Instead, Michael had put him down, turning Dean by the shoulders to face him.  “Hug me,” he ordered.  “I want you to give me affection!”

            Dean shuddered.  He raised his arms, one leg rising to the ball of his foot in preparation for taking a step forward to embrace Michael.  But once again, the image of his angel flashed before his eyes, and his arms dropped.  “No.”

            Michael snatched Dean up and shook him violently. “I will lock you up forever!” he yelled. “You will never see another soul, but you won’t die because it is limbo there!  You will simply exist, alone in your cage until the end of time!”

            Dean closed his eyes, let his chin drop to his chest, and went deep inside, letting everything fade away.

            Michael didn’t lock him up.  With a curse, he threw his treasure face-down over the table, dragging the human’s arms behind his back and lashing them tightly together with rope.  “It doesn’t matter,” he told his still, silent treasure.  “I’m an archangel!  I have no need of treasures.  What does it matter, their value?”  He pulled the knot tight and let his treasure go, moving to the corner to collect the chain. When he returned, the human hadn’t moved.  He was still lying on the table, dull eyes staring at nothing.  Michael snarled.  “Humans!  Worthless, stupid creatures!  Why I ever took you I have no idea.  I cannot imagine what I was thinking!  How could I have ever looked at a monkey and found it beautiful?!”  Disgusted, he grabbed the human’s hair, dragged it back off of the table, and quickly locked the collar around its neck.  The horrid thing didn’t respond except to gasp in pain when it was dragged back by the hair.  Pathetic. He would be well rid of it, especially if he could replace the thing with a real treasure.  The thought of that made Michael smile.  An angel.  That was the only true treasure for the archangel that ruled all of Heaven.  He closed his eyes, imagining for a moment that it was the angel he held now, bound and helpless at the end of his chain. But when he opened his eyes again, it was only the worthless human.  Well, that was soon rectified!

            Dean had gone so deep he hadn’t even registered it when Michael picked him up, gathered a force of angels to accompany him, and flew down to Earth.  The voices washed over him without recognition.  But finally, something made him stir, some sense of familiarity made him raise his eyes at last.  What he saw was his worst nightmare.  Sammy, one of the horrible claiming bands locked around his throat, was sitting in Raphael’s lap.  His brother wore one of the white tunics.  Sammy’s arms were twisted behind his back, a rope leading from them to Raphael’s hand. Raphael’s arm was tight around Sammy’s waist.  No. Sammy couldn’t be a victory treasure. It couldn’t be real!

            But it was real.  Sammy was here, and what was this now?  Sammy was mouthing something at him, what was it?  Why would his brother want him to be quiet?

            Then he saw Gabriel, with Castiel on his lap, and he nearly screamed anyway.  Once again, Cas had a claiming band around his neck.  But while the angel was human-sized, the familiar ebony wings were visible, tucked tightly against Cas’s back while the angel glowered at Michael. What?  How could Cas have his wings?  It didn’t make any sense to Dean.  But when he looked back at Sammy, his brother’s eyes said “trust me.”  Dean nodded, kept quiet, and watched.

            He listened as Gabriel boasted about owning Castiel.  Then Cas spoke, confirming that, yes, he was still an angel with all his powers.  “I let him take me, let him claim me, because I want him to.  Gabriel offered me something I want, something I value more than I value my dignity and personal freedom.  That’s why I’m with him.  Stop looking at me with such want, Michael!  You can’t have me!”

            Those blue, blue eyes flicked to Dean for just a moment.  But it was enough.  Dean’s heart began to pound.  It was him, Cas had done this, let Gabriel claim him despite being fully powered, for HIM! It knocked the wind out of Dean, shattered everything he thought he’d understood about the angel who had taken him away.  Cas loved him.  There could be no other explanation.  Dean looked at the angel and realized with a start that he returned the feeling.  Cas was an angel.  Cas was a male.  And it didn’t matter.  It didn’t matter at all.

            Gabriel knew how to milk a scene.  He flippantly refused Michael’s offer, actually starting to get up and leave, and Michael fell completely apart.  Now Dean understood what the archangel had been saying, about how he’d wipe out every guardian alive to have the angel.  It was Cas he’d wanted!  No wonder Michael saw Dean as nothing more than an animal now.

            “So here’s what I was thinking,” Gabe was saying. “Raph and I are frankly tired of all this bullshit war.  I never wanted it in the first place, and Raphie’s kind of over it.  And you know that I never had a thing for treasures the way you guys do.  Part and parcel of wallowing in the muck, I suppose.  So I could be convinced to give up Cassie here for the right price.”

            “Name it!”

            “Wow, so eager!  You must really want to get your hands on him, don’t you?  I get he’s pretty and all, but you haven’t even taken time to examine the goods!  So let’s start there.”  He indicated Castiel.  “Earlier, you said you wanted to see him.  But Cassie here doesn’t seem all that fond of you, Michael!”

            “No,” Cas growled.  “I’m not.  And I won’t willingly let you touch me!”

            Michael frowned.  “So?  He’s a treasure, Gabriel, force him!”

            “Ooo, dominance, how kinky, my buttocks are clenching!”

            “Spare me the image of your buttocks, and give me the angel!”

            Cas jerked his arm away as Michael reached for him. “Keep your hands off of me!”

            “Castiel, shush, the grown-ups are talking now. Here’s the thing, Mike.  Cas doesn’t like you, and he’s bound to be a bit squirmy about it.  You’re going to need both hands to hold onto him.  No no, don’t drop poor Dean on the ground, that’s not nice!  Just give him to Raph and let him hold him for you.”

            “Happy to hold onto your treasure for you, Michael,” Raphael offered politely.

            Michael’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “And you’ll give me Castiel?”

            “No, I’ll let you hold him, check him out for yourself, and then give him back.  You want to trade for a bit?  Take that chain off of your human, hand him over, and I’ll let you hold Cassie and check him out.  What do you say?”

            Michael was already tugging at the chain at Dean’s neck even as he rose.  The chain clattered to the ground, Michael eagerly pushing Dean at Raphael and snatching Cas’s arm, dragging the squirming little angel from Gabriel’s lap.  “Let me go!”

            “Come here, and stop struggling!  Gabriel, how do you control him?!”

            “Cassie!  Bad angel! Hold still and let the nice archangel take you, there’s a good boy!”

            Castiel immediately grew still.  A smile of triumph spread across Michael’s features as he carried the little angel back to his seat.  Meanwhile, Raphael had pulled Dean onto his lap, pressing him close to Sammy. Behind their backs, Dean felt his brother cautiously slip his hands from the ropes and reach over to start untying him, hidden by their bodies.  And a moment later, his hands were free.

            Dean glanced at Sammy, saw his brother breathing a sigh of relief before smiling at him.  He smiled back.  It felt strange on his face.  But then he looked at Cas and saw the angel in Michael’s arms, the archangel scowling in concentration as his hands moved over Cas’s body and wings.  Cas allowing it with no more than a disapproving frown. “Where have you hidden it?” Michael was saying.  “There must be a sigil, a binding, something!  How can you have such control over him?!”

            “Like I said, that’s for me to know and you to bust your ass trying to find out.  Now, let’s talk terms.  Michael, your stupid war with Raphael here cost me some good guardians.  And as we are all only too aware, no one has made any new angels in, if you’ll excuse the expression, a hell of a long time.  Now I’m looking behind you, and I see a whole big group of angels with you today.  Those your best fighters?”

            “Some of them, yes,” Michael said evasively. He held tightly to Castiel, absently running his fingers through the angel’s black feathers.  “I also have a number of them guarding my borders.”

            “Naturally, but I don’t care about those.  I’m looking at a nice group of strapping, healthy angels.  Any of those used to be yours, Raphie?”

            “About a third were once mine,” Raphael called.

            “Ok, then a third of ‘em you only recently got anyway!  I want the whole group.  Give me those angels, Mikey!  And don’t worry, my guardians won’t do anything to impede your way back to Heaven alone, they’ll be too busy hazing the new recruits.  As new guardians, those angels are going to look a little weird, being bigger than regular guardians and probably with huge sticks up their asses, but I have no doubt my boys and girls will teach ‘em some humility soon enough.”

            The angels were looking at each other in shock. Dean saw one, a bald dark-skinned angel, sputter.  “Archangel Michael!  You can’t possibly...!”

            “Captain Uriel!” Michael snapped.  “I know your previous archangel was likely lenient with your discipline, but in my ranks, angels know not to disrupt negotiations between archangels!”  Turning back to Gabriel, he smiled.  “So your offer is that I can keep Castiel if I give you the angels I brought here with me?”

            “And your old treasure,” Gabriel corrected. “I kind of got used to having someone to cuddle at night and they’re fairly close in size.  So throw in Dean-o there, and we’ve got a deal.”  He snapped his fingers and a scroll appeared in his hand. “I’ll even throw in the spell!”

            “So it was a spell!” Michael exclaimed triumphantly.  “It will work on other angels as well?”

            “What I’ve been using to control Castiel can absolutely be used on other angels, if the conditions are right.  It requires a bit of doing, some fairly rare ingredients, but yes.  There’s no reason you couldn’t use the same thing to control any angel.”

            “Any angel!”  Michael sucked in his breath.  His arms tightened around Cas until Cas grunted in discomfort.  “I could enslave every angel in Heaven, make them all completely mine!”

            “Yeah, sure, just do me a favor and keep it in Heaven? Things are sticky enough down here.” He waved the scroll.  “This explains, in plain Enochian and in detail, exactly how I’ve been controlling Captain Castiel.  If you can pull it off again, you go right ahead and knock yourself out.  Meanwhile, you march your tight little ass over there and order those angels to join my service as guardians.  As soon as they all kneel to me, you take the scroll and Cassie and flutter back to Heaven, and we get busy on the hazing rituals!  It’s a great life!”  Gabriel slapped his hand cheerfully on the table.  “Do we have a deal?”

            “We do!”  Oblivious to the dismayed gasps of the angels or the mocking cheers and wolf whistles of the guardians, Michael gathered Castiel in one arm and reached for the scroll.

            “Nuh uh!” Gabe called, holding it out of his reach. “First things first.  I don’t hear any orders and I sure as hell don’t see any kneeling!  Come on, let’s see some fancy war tunics in the dirt!”

            “Very well.”  Michael rose, arching his wings as he turned to address his angels.  “I, the Archangel Michael, do hereby order you angels to join the service of Archangel Gabriel as guardians.  Kneel before your new archangel!”

            The moment Michael’s back was turned, Raphael and Gabriel were up.  Raphael quickly set Dean and Sam on their feet and snapped off their claiming bands.  “Go!” he whispered.  “Under the table is probably safest, just take cover!”

            No one needed to tell Dean twice.  He grabbed Sammy’s arm and shoved him under the big stone table.  Then he threw himself over his brother.

            Outside, the angels were exchanging incredulous glances with each other, unsure what to do.  Then Uriel stepped forward, moving to the front of the group.  As everyone watched, he tucked his wings, took his angel blade in hand, clenched his fists, and crossed his arms over his chest. Almost immediately another, and then another, and another angel moved to join him, mimicking the pose as Michael gasped. And soon the entire group was glaring at him over crossed arms.

            Gabriel gave a low whistle.  “Wow, Mikey!  Where did I see that before?  Oh yeah! When we rejected Lucifer and locked him in the Cage!”

            “Your men have rejected you, archangel,” Raphael announced.  “You traded them away for a treasure, ordered them to debase themselves as guardians, and even confessed that you planned to turn every angel in Heaven into a slave! Word of this will spread, and every angel will reject you!”

            Michael’s jaw had dropped.  He forced his eyes away from the angels who still stood in a pose of rejection and faced the other two archangels.  “You...  You tricked me!  There was never any spell, was there?”

            “Sure there was!”

            Gabriel tossed the scroll.  Michael caught it easily and awkwardly unrolled it with one hand. “What is this?!”

            “It’s exactly what it says!” Cas announced.  “I agreed to all of this because I fell in love. It’s a spell alright, the strongest spell in existence, and more than enough to control any angel that falls under it!  Let go of me, Michael!  You’re finished!”

            Dean held his breath, fearful that the defeated archangel would hurt Cas.  But Michael let his arms drop, letting both the scroll and Cas fall to the ground. Cas quickly ran to the table and crawled under it to reach Dean.  “Dean! Are you hurt?  Let me heal you!”

            “You did it for me!”

            Cas's eyes locked with Dean’s.  “I would do anything for you.”  Then he was kissing Dean.

            “Gross!” Sammy complained.

            “Who will it be?” Michael was asking, looking from Gabriel to Raphael and back.  “Which of you will take my life, and become ruler of Heaven?”

            “Neither of us,” Raphael said.  “We won’t kill you, Michael.  Your war cost us many angels in Heaven and on Earth, and my brother and I want it to end.  We’ll rule jointly, as our Father intended.  And you will join Lucifer in the Cage for all eternity!  May the battles the two of you will fight there slake your bloodlust at last!”

            “Nice speech,” Gabriel complimented.  “I’ll even forgive your earlier comment about angels debasing themselves as guardians for that one.”  Raphael smiled.

            Michael stiffened.  Then he blinked as two guardians approached, holding a set of golden manacles.  He scoffed. “And for the ultimate humiliation, I am to be bound by guardians!”

            But Gabriel and Raphael were smiling at each other now.  Gabe looked towards the table and jerked his head.  “Why don’t you do the honors?”

            Awestruck, Dean climbed out with his brother behind Cas. But Cas made no move towards the golden manacles.  “He’s speaking to the two of you,” the angel explained.  “Go lock up Michael!”

            The look on the archangel’s face when two humans approached to bind him was a memory that Dean would treasure to his dying day.

            Then the angels were all flying away, Raphael taking Michael to the Cage, and Dean was alone with Sammy, Gabe, Cas, and the guardians.  He quickly decided he didn’t care who was watching and threw himself at his angel. “I love you!” he called between kisses. “I love you so much, Cas!  I can’t believe you did this for me!”

            Gabe cleared his throat.  “Ok, this is starting to get sappy even for me!  I’d say it’s time we all went back to where we belonged.  And Dean, don’t worry.  Your soul isn’t permanently marked yet.  My brother and I will be ending the practice of taking humans as victory treasures and freeing any currently being held.  So no angel will try to claim either of you.  I’m afraid you’ll be a bit limited in places to live, though, because my guardians will have to bring all the former treasures to one location in order to keep them safe.  But that’s not too bad a life, is it?”

            “Not at all!”  Sammy raced to hug Gabe.  “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

            “Heh, you’re welcome, Sammy!”  He got up, suddenly sober.  “Thing is, I should get going.”

            “Take care, Gabe!” Dean called cheerfully.  But then he registered the mood and paused.

            Cas took his hand.  “Dean?  I have to go. I swore to God that I would do whatever it takes to help save you.  That required me to become Gabriel’s treasure.”

            “So?”  Dean paled, looking from face to face and seeing the sadness there.  “Wait, what are you saying?  Gabe, you can’t keep Cas!  Just let him go!”

            “I can’t,” Gabe said quietly.  “The vow he made isn’t one we can break.  And the truth is, even with Uriel planted in that group of angels, there was still a chance the rest wouldn’t reject Michael. If that happened, I would have had to let Michael keep him!  As it stands, I have to do it.  There’s nothing we can do.”

            “No!”  Dean shook his head, clinging to his angel.  “No, I don’t accept that!  There has to be something you can do!”

            “Dean!”  Cas had him again, the angel’s strength holding Dean still even as his presence helped calm his panic.  “Dean, I have to do this.  But I promise you, I will never stop loving you, until the day you die and beyond.”

            Dean clung to him.  “Cas, please!”

            “I’m sorry.”

            That strength.  That unnatural strength that seemed normal in Cas’s regular size but so weird now pried Dean’s hands away.  Then Sammy was pulling him back, dragging Dean back even as Gabe picked Cas up. “Cas!  Cas, no!”

            Blue eyes, filled with sorrow and love. “Goodbye, Dean.”

            Then they were gone.

            Dean collapsed.  He clung to his brother, crying out his broken heart.


	33. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the angel war finally over, the former treasures start a new life in the new protected resettlement zone. But Dean's life is missing something important.

_Dean is in the nest, lying next to Castiel.  Cas is human sized.  The angel’s eyes are soft as he looks at Dean.  “Good morning, treasure.  Did you sleep well?”_

_Dean reaches out, buries his fingers in Cas’s dark hair.  “No,” he confesses.  “I had a bad dream.  I dreamed that you were taken away from me.”_

_“I’m here.”_

_“I’m glad.”  Dean moves forward, presses his lips to the angel’s.  Cas hums, letting Dean push him until Cas is on his back and Dean is straddling him.  Dean kisses him again and again, his hands caressing the angel’s cheeks, moving down his neck and across his shoulders, catching Cas’s elbows.  He pulls the arms that were wrapped around him and Cas allows it, allows Dean to take his arms and pin them next to his head._

_Cas looks up at him, quiet and still.  “What do you want, treasure?”_

_“You,” Dean whispers.  “I want you.”_

_“Then take me.”_

_Take him.  That’s all Dean wants, but even as he falls hungrily on his angel, he knows it’s not possible.  Because Cas isn’t here.  Because they’re not in the nest and Cas is..._

_Cas is..._

            Dean sat up with a gasp, panting.  For a moment he had no idea where he was.  Then he looks around, seeing the room and groans. Of course.  The new house he shares with his brother and his father, here in the resettlement zone where all the former treasures live.  All the humans who had been taken prisoner during the angel war had been taken here, to this town.  Abandoned during the war, it had been reclaimed by the guardians for those people and any of their friends or families who wished to join them.  All around the resettlement zone, warning markings stood.  They were marked into the trees, the rocks, the very Earth by the angels’ power, a warning against any creature that comes near that their presence will not be tolerate here.  All over the world, angels have largely disappeared.  But here, the guardians were clearly visible, patrolling constantly among the runes, keeping the human treasures safe.  Dean knew he could never leave this place.  But he could live with that.  He found it much harder to accept that, having been claimed and Grace marked by Raphael to save Dean, Sammy could never leave it either.  And he found it even harder that he could never go to see the one being he longed to see with all his heart.

            Still, it wasn’t a bad life.  While treasures couldn’t leave, their friends and families could and did.  Some of them had some influence, and used it to gain services for those trapped in the resettlement zone.  The first time Dean had been able to stand in a bathroom with electricity and take a real hot shower had been wonderful.  Hot water couldn’t compare to the cleansing fluid in Heaven’s baths.  But finally being clean after only washing up in a wooden tub for three months while the resettlement zone was under construction was pretty damned awesome.

            Three months.  Three months surrounded by guardians.  Three months when he’d never seen a single sign of Gabriel or of Castiel. The guardians had only been able to tell him that Castiel was fine, that Gabriel treated him respectfully, that he was seen walking around in his normal size at the archangel’s side, but with the claiming band still locked around his neck.  It would never come off.  But that was all the more Dean could get from them.  They wouldn’t, or couldn’t, tell him where Castiel was, or arrange a meeting, or deliver a message.  Castiel was out of Dean’s reach.  And that was a hole in his heart that might never be filled again.

            Dean rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.  He got up, threw on a t-shirt over his sleeping shorts, and walked barefoot out to the kitchen to start breakfast.  The smell of coffee and pancakes soon drew his father and Sammy.  “Morning,” the former said, giving his son a one-armed hug.

            Dean smiled.  “Morning!  I’ll have a stack ready in a moment.”

            His father ruffled his hair, got himself a mug of coffee, and went to the table, pausing to do the same with his younger son. Dean smiled again.  This was a nice change.  Since he’d been taken, his father had been more demonstrative with his affection than he’d ever been before.  Now John Winchester sat at the table, listening to Sammy tell him about a girl he’d met, his eyes moving fondly between his sons.  Part of Dean had been afraid his father would be angry, upset with Dean for getting himself kidnapped by an angel in the first place and upset with Sammy for risking everything and all but ruining his life to save Dean.  But the only thing their father had said when the two of them had returned home was “I love you,” over and over again.  The strongest man Dean had ever known had been crying, sobbing like a child as he clung to his sons, and Bobby had been right there with him, doing the same. That John had quickly agreed to move to the resettlement zone hadn’t been a surprise.  Dean supposed he shouldn’t have really been surprised that Bobby had sold his salvage yard and done the same, opening a new garage inside the zone.  Dean was due there in an hour to start working.  He quickly finished cooking, ate his breakfast, and got ready for work.

            He was deep in a mess of an engine, cursing foreign car manufacturers when he became aware of a sudden silence.  The radio was still playing, but somehow the garage had stilled.  No one seemed to be making a sound or moving.  He looked up, and immediately realized why.

            Standing at the front of the garage was the gigantic figure of an angel.  But this was no ordinary angel.  Dean sucked in his breath.  “Gabe! Hey!”

            The archangel smiled.  “Hey, Dean.”  Gabriel was ducking down to look into the garage like an adult peering into a child’s playhouse.  “Hello, everyone.  Dean, mind if I talk to you for a moment?  I think I’m making some of your coworkers understandably anxious.”

            “Yeah, sure.”  Dean had quickly noticed the sudden fear on the faces of his fellow mechanics.  Most of them were former treasures.  The presence of the archangel was upsetting.  Dean jogged out, following Gabe as he moved away a bit.

            Gabe turned and faced Dean, his expression serious. “Well, we’re done with the advisory council,” he explained.  “And it’s now forbidden for any angel to take a human treasure.  The last ones should be coming here today.”

            “Great news,” Dean managed.  His heart was pounding.  “Just human treasures?”

            The archangel rubbed at the back of his neck. “You know the circumstances with Cassie, Dean.  He swore to God he’d do whatever was necessary to help save you.  That meant he agreed to be my treasure, and that’s a permanent position.”

            Dean clenched his fists.  The last memory he had of his angel had been of Gabriel scooping him up, just before the archangel had vanished right in front of his eyes, taking Castiel with him.  Dean had been anxiously waiting news about the new council’s decisions.  Now Gabe was telling him that Cas couldn’t ever be free? “But the advisory council!” Dean protested.  “You guys set it up as a mix of angels from all classes and guardians, specifically so everyone would have a voice in your new government!  They make recommendations and you and Raphael act on them, right?  So even if you can’t free Cas because of his vow, can’t they do it?”

            “That’s the thing, buddy.  The advisory council has no actual power.  All they can do is advise.  And I can’t let Castiel go because he can’t ever be free.  He’s my treasure, from now until the end of eternity.”

            Dean’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.  “So there’s nothing you can do?”

            “I’m afraid not.  I gotta keep him, Dean.  I’m sorry.”

            Dean nodded, bitter.  “Can I at least see him?”

            “Sure!  Sure, Dean, you can absolutely see him!  In fact, that’s why I’m here.”  The archangel started walking again, forcing Dean to jog to keep up.  “See, I put the advisory council on that little problem, too, hoping that they could find a loophole that we hadn’t noticed.  And they did!  I can’t let him go, Dean.  He was, is, and will always be my greatest treasure.  Now the council recommended, and Raphie and I immediately ordered, that no angel can take another angel as a victory treasure against his or her will, and that ended a few little hostilities that sprang up when Raphie’s angels decided they were still mad at Mikey’s and vice versa.  But Castiel gave himself up voluntarily, so that doesn’t count for him.  He’s mine, and I have to keep him.  But there isn’t any stipulation that says where I have to keep him, is there?”

            Dean gasped.  “What do you mean?”

            In answer, the archangel stopped and pointed ahead.

            A dark-haired man was waiting in the new city park.  He appeared to be transfixed by a group of bees that were busy tending to a lilac bush. The man wore a suit with a tie bearing oddly-familiar designs, all topped by a long tan trench coat.  Busy watching the bees, he didn’t notice their arrival at first.  But then he looked up, spotted Dean, and smiled.  “Hello, Dean.”

            “Cas?  Cas!” Dean ran and pounced on his angel. Castiel laughed, easily catching Dean. “Cas, you’re here!  Can you stay?”

            “I’ll still need him for formal occasions,” Gabe warned.  “War negotiations, official events, mall openings, that sort of thing.  But otherwise, I’m planning on keeping him here, in the resettlement zone, with the other treasures.”  He gave Dean a wink.  “You know anyone who might want to take in an angel?”

            Dean gave a happy cry and kissed his angel, his fingers digging into Castiel’s hair and the collar of his shirt to try to pull him closer.  Then he pulled away and frowned in confusion.  “You’re not wearing his claiming band?”

            “Actually, I am.”  Castiel indicated his tie.  “The Trickster altered it into an appearance that should fool most humans and anyone else who wouldn’t be able to understand Enochian letters.  But this is it.  I can’t ever take it off, Dean, but it’s only a symbol.  Gabriel isn’t actually going to take me away for mall openings.  I don’t understand why he said that.”

            “Cassie, some century, you might just figure out humor, but apparently not this one,” Gabriel sighed.  “Bottom line is, he still belongs to me, but I won’t take him unless I have to.  And since the only real reason an archangel would need a treasure is for war negotiations and we’re all sick enough of war to last an eon or so, I imagine he’ll be spending his time right here.”

            “If you want me, that is,” Castiel corrected. His eyes were hopeful as he looked at Dean.  “I understand that having an angel living in the resettlement zone, especially one that had a human treasure, could be distressing for some humans.”

            “We’ll deal with it,” Dean announced.  “For now, no one needs to know you’re an angel.  In time, once people are used to you and understand you mean no harm, we’ll spread the word.  But until then, how about I call Bobby, tell him I need the rest of the day off?  He’ll be pissed, because we’re really busy.  But I think he’ll understand when I tell him I’m settling in a new arrival.”

            Five minutes later, Dean was pulling his angel by the hand into the new house.  “No one’s home,” he explained.  “Dad’s at work and Sammy’s at school.  Once we break the news to them, maybe we’ll start looking for our own place.  How’s that sound?”

            “A nest of our own?  That sounds lovely!”

            Dean chuckled.  “Humans have houses, not nests, Cas.  But we’ll work on your vocabulary.”

            Dean’s heart was pounding.  Was Cas aware of it?  Could he hear the heady rush of blood as Dean led his angel into his room, closed the door, and finally turned to face the immortal being he’d fallen in love with?

            It was hard to tell.  Cas was smiling as he looked around the room.  “This is yours?”

            “Yeah.  It’s mine.”

            Cas casually plopped onto Dean’s bed, shoes, coat and all.  “The nest itself is quite comfortable.”

            “Bed, Cas, not nest.  Um, why don’t you take off your shoes and coat?”  Dean had already started suiting action to words, removing his own shoes and jacket.  “You can just toss them on the chair there.”

            “Alright.”

            “Take off the suit jacket, too.”

            Now the suit jacket joined the trench coat, leaving Castiel standing in his shirt and pants.

            Dean moved towards him, caught the angel’s belt, and kissed him.  Cas eagerly kissed him back.  He barely seemed to notice when Dean’s hands undid his belt, pulling it free.  But he gasped and pulled back when Dean’s hand slid into his pants.  “Dean? What are you doing?”

            “Making love to you.  If you’re ready.  Are you?”

            “I don’t understand.  I don’t know what you mean.”

            Dean gently cupped the angel through the front of his pants.  “Humans use their bodies to express affection for each other in an intimate, personal way. It feels good, doesn’t it?”

            “Y-yes.”  Cas’s eyes were very wide.  “I feel strange, what’s happening?”

            Dean chuckled.  “You’re getting a hard on, Cas!  It’s alright.  It’s natural. Do you trust me?”

            Cas nodded.

            “Then let me show you.  I won’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable, alright? If something does, say ‘stop.’ Will you do that?”

            The angel nodded again.

            Dean’s hands moved to Cas’s shoulders, gently pushing him back against the bed.  “Lie down, like you did before.  And relax. I won’t hurt you.”

            Castiel climbed onto the bed on his back, his eyes fixed on Dean.  Dean locked eyes with him and began to slowly strip.  Castiel’s eyes grew wider the more exposed Dean became.  He’d seen the human naked before, touched Dean all over his body to clean him.  But this was somehow different.  As Dean undressed, for some reason Castiel’s mouth seemed very dry.  A low heat was building in his lower abdomen, the odd swelling in his groin growing.

            Finally Dean was naked and crawling on the bed to undo the buttons on Castiel’s shirt.  Castiel started to help, but Dean caught his hands.  “Let me,” he whispered, pushing Castiel’s hands down. Castiel obeyed, letting his hands stay at his sides until Dean lifted them, undoing the cuffs and pulling Castiel up a bit to remove his shirt and push his tie aside.  The tie seemed to trouble Dean.  The human’s fingers traced where it lay over his neck, curling under it to give it a gentle tug.  But when Castiel smiled at him, he seemed to relax again.

            Dean moved until he was straddling Castiel’s hips, his rear just brushing the swelling at Castiel’s groin in maddening nearness.  For a moment, Dean just looked at him.  He leaned forward, rubbing his hands up Castiel’s sides.  The sensation brought chills, made little bumps rise on Castiel’s skin.  Dean rested his hands on Castiel’s shoulders, pressing him down as he lowered his head. When his tongue shot out and licked gently at one of his nipples Castiel yelped.

            Dean immediately stopped.  “You alright?”

            “Yes!  Yes, please do that again?”

            Dean smiled and did it again.  This time, Castiel moaned.  The sensation was incredible, and when Dean bent down like this, the pressure of his ass increased against Castiel’s groin.  Dean began to lick and suck in earnest and soon Castiel was writhing, hands twisting the blankets underneath him.  When Dean stopped, he moaned.

            That seemed to please Dean.  He climbed off, further disappointing Castiel, and quickly undid Castiel’s pants.  That swollen part of him that had so enjoyed the slight pressure of Dean’s ass sprang free as Dean pulled down his pants and underwear, letting both fall on the floor as he fixed his eyes on his discovery.  “Cas?” he called.  “Can I touch you?”

            The angel nodded.

            Dean carefully wrapped a hand around Castiel’s penis and gently squeezed.  Castiel gave a sharp cry.  “Oh! Dean!  I like that!”

            “Yeah?”  The hand moved, sliding up and down the length, thumb teasing at Castiel’s slit. There was dampness there, something wet on Dean’s thumb that Dean was now smearing over the tip.  This part of himself had been there for all of Castiel’s existence, yet he never gave it any real thought.  He’d had no idea that this bit of stimulation could feel like this, make his body react in such a way.  Heat and pressure were building now, deep inside.  The sensation only increased when Dean leaned forward and took him into his mouth.

            Lips and tongue and skillful hand.  Castiel was losing himself.  The physical pleasure of his vessel was igniting something within his Grace that was reaching out towards Dean’s soul.  Yet the human seemed oblivious.  He continued to pleasure Castiel, blissfully unaware of this new thing, this odd merging of vessel and Grace that reached for Dean until Castiel could take no more.

            Dean’s only warning was a sharp cry from his angel. Then powerful hands seized him, threw him roughly down onto the bed on his back.  He gasped, looking up into blazing eyes as the massive ebony wings extended.  “Let me in,” the angel growled.

            Dean nodded, wide-eyed.  Part of him thought he should be terrified at this show of aggression, but he was anything but.  Castiel was the hottest thing Dean had ever seen.  His dick certainly appreciated it, becoming achingly hard.  Keep it together, Winchester.  Yeah, it was hot, but there were certain precautions that needed to happen, or this could go from good to bad real quick.  “Alright, you can have me, but you have to prep me first, ok?” he said.  “You can’t just push into me, or you’ll hurt me!  Don’t hurt me, angel, alright?”

            Cas seemed to control himself with an effort. “I don’t want to hurt you.  What do I do?”

            “I’ll show you.”  Dean reached up, pulled a pillow, folded it, and tucked it under his hips to rise them.  Then he got into his nightstand, blushing.  “I kept hoping you’d come here, that we could do this,” he explained.  “So I wanted to be ready.  Give me your hand.”

            Castiel watched, barely containing himself as Dean squirted a clear substance from a tube onto his fingers.  It took all of his patience to follow Dean’s instructions and prep him.  By the time Dean was showing him how to smear the substance onto his erection Castiel thought he might burn up from the inside out.  But then he was pushing into Dean, and nothing else mattered.  Dean cried out, arching beautifully and clawing at Castiel’s arm with one hand while the other frantically pumped at his own erection.  “That’s it, right there, angel, more, please, move!”

            More.  Dean wanted more.  Castiel gave him more, sinking deep, relishing the feeling of the tight heat. Soon he was pounding.  Dean’s moans and cries of pleasure were only encouraging him.  This joining of their bodies was making his Grace react even more, and before he knew it, he’d shoved his hand into Dean’s chest.

            Dean gasped and clutched at his arm in panic. But this time, there was no pain. Instead, heat that should have burned him but didn’t flooded into him, more and more until his own eyes were blazing back up at the angel.  The sensation was incredible.

            Both climaxed at the same time.  A binding of Grace and soul accompanied their physical climax, leaving them both crying out and gasping.  Castiel’s wings flapped, sending items flying as light and wind tore through the room.  Dean’s soul surged, reaching for the angel’s Grace even as the Grace poured into him. And then it was over.

            Castiel quickly came to his senses and pulled his hand out of Dean’s chest.  The human was lying still, too still, his eyes closed.  Was he dead?  No, his chest was rising and falling rapidly with his breaths.  Now his eyes were opening, obscured by light for a moment before returning to their natural green.  “Wow,” Dean said.

            “Wow,” Castiel agreed.  He pulled free, not bothering to fold his wings back.  He simply shifted them out of his way as he flopped onto his side next to Dean, using one to gently cover Dean.  “Is sex always like this?”

            “Dude, I have never done anything like that in my life!  What did you do to my soul?”

            “I don’t know,” Castiel admitted.  “But I can feel you now.  It’s like a Grace marking, but it’s more.”  He rose, frowning.  “That’s very strange.  My name isn’t written on your soul, but your soul has changed somehow.  I believe this is a bonding, my Grace to your soul, locking us together for all eternity.  I’d heard of such a thing, but thought it was a myth.”

            “Huh!”  Dean was peering at his chest as though he could see the change to his soul.  “What’s that mean?  Are we, like, angel married?”

            “In a way, yes.”  Worried blue eyes looked up at Dean.  “Is that bad?”

            Dean smiled.  “No, Cas.  No, it’s not bad at all.”  He reached over, grabbed some tissues from a box that had somehow managed to get wedged between the headboard and the wall and cleaned them both up.  “So, is all that wind and everything going to happen every time we have sex?”

            “I don’t know.  Perhaps?”

            “Awesome!  We’re definitely going to have to get our own place, though.”

            Cas was still looking at him.  “Do you really want this, Dean?” he asked.  “To spend the rest of your life with me, after everything that I did to you?”

            Dean looked at him.  “Cas, what you did to me was wrong,” he said.  “You kidnapped me, took me away, made me into a pet.  You did some awful things to me.  But you also gave up everything and let those same things happen to you just to save me!  I’m not going to lie and say that makes us even.  But it’s a hell of a good indication that this relationship means something to you!”

            “Does it mean nothing to you?”

            Dean laughed and pulled his confused angel down until Cas’s head rested on his shoulder.  “It means everything to me, angel.  The only thing that kept me going while Michael had me was you.  And this whole time, all I wanted was to have you back. I love you, Cas.”

            He could feel the angel’s body relaxing at his words.  The wing tucked tighter around him like a feathery blanket.  “I love you, too, Dean.  But will that be enough to start a new life together?”

            “Yeah,” Dean said.  His eyes were already slipping closed, relaxing into a peaceful sleep in his angel’s arms.  “Yeah, I think maybe it will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thx for reading. Hope you liked it.


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